No Antidote
by FalconPain
Summary: Bulbasaur and his trainer had an agreement: they would make it to the Pokémon League, or go down trying. So even when faced with utter tragedy, he decides that he and his trainer will live up to their promise. By any means necessary.
1. Prologue

**No Antidote**

"Drink this. Fast."

Bulbasaur could only stare at the glass bottle that his trainer was slowly moving in his direction. The orange liquid sloshed around, driven by the shaky movements of the arm holding the bottle in his direction. The concoction was pungent to his nostrils, and he had to resist the temptation to turn his head.

After all, it was his only chance...

Bulbasaur opened his mouth, allowing the neck of the bottle to rest inside it. His trainer lifted the bottom, and Bulbasaur forced himself to drink the contents.

"This is our last antidote", the trainer said. "Let's hope those Beedrills don't come back." With a careful look in his eye, he turned his head to gaze into the distant parts of the forest.

The Pokémon saw it now. A large bloody hole in the back of his neck. It matched the size of his similar wound, where a Beedrill had struck him mere minutes before. One left by a poisoned stinger, capable of...

And his trainer... he had...

"You need to get up. You need to keep going. We're going to do this, okay? All the way..."

The bottle shuddered. The trainer's body was beginning to shake, possibly from weakness.

"And if we don't... as far as we can... we promised..."

Bulbasaur's eyes began to water, as he remembered...

* * *

_"Hi, I'm Marty!"_

_It was the first thing Bulbasaur had seen in a long time._

_He wasn't sure how he had been placed in the Pokéball. It must have been a long time ago, when he was just... born? Sprouted? Which one was more accurate? Even he wasn't sure._

_He didn't understand everything about his situation, but he knew his purpose. It had been ingrained into him. He would be given to a human. This human would instruct him in battle, and he would follow. He would continue to grow stronger, and the human would continue to catch other Pokémon. A first step... down a long road..._

_Whether or not the human would reach the end... he didn't know._

_Whether or not he would still be there with the human at the end... he also didn't know._

_"Let's be friends, okay?"_

_If nothing else, he thought, he was with the human now. It was expected of him. It was his purpose. And if he wasn't with the human..._

_...he had no idea where else he could be._

* * *

_Bulbasaur collapsed from the pain. His body, covered in scratches, was finding it difficult to continue._

_"Tough luck", the Charmander who stood over him said. "That you would have to battle against me so soon."_

_Charmander was one of the other two "starters", it seemed. He was of the fiery variety and looked the part, from his bright orange coloration to the flame on his tail. No plant of his power could have possibly defended against it. And yet... he had been defeated purely by physical strikes._

_"I'm not done yet," Bulbasaur responded. "I will never..."_

_He didn't finish, as he was recalled into his Pokéball. He felt much better when he was inside it; the darkness was calming, and the pain was far easier to bear._

* * *

_"It's not over", Marty told him in the Pokémon Center later. "Brandon got lucky. We'll see him again, I'm sure of it. And next time, we'll win."_

_A rival, Bulbasaur thought. A reason to continue fighting. A reason to improve. An early goal to achieve, in preparation for more daunting tasks along the way._

_Was Charmander his rival? He couldn't tell. They had only met once._

_"And to do that", the human continued, "we need to train. You need to become stronger, and I... I need to be smarter."_

_Bulbasaur thought about this. Both were taking their first steps into the wilderness. There were many things that neither of them knew. And they would need to learn them... together._

_He wasn't the only one being trained. So, too, was the human._

_"We're going to do this, Bulbasaur." Marty's face was enthusiastic. "We're going to beat Brandon. We're going to make it to the Pokémon League. And... we're going to win it. Understood?"_

_Bulbasaur looked into his eyes, and nodded._

_The human's expression flickered slightly. "But... if we don't... it doesn't matter!" He smiled even more brightly. "We're going to give it our all! No one will ever say that we gave up! Agreed?"_

_"Agreed!" Bulbasaur responded. And he meant it, even if it sounded like a mere "Bulba!" to his trainer. This was his purpose. The human needed him, and he needed the human. Together, they could stand a chance..._

* * *

_And then they had gone after a Beedrill, and several more showed up, and he fell, and the human had leapt in front of them to prevent a final strike, and..._

Bulbasaur drew his mouth away from the bottle, leaving just under half of the remaining fluid in the bottle.

"Please..." Marty said quietly. "You need it..."

Bulbasaur shook his head. With one of the whip-like vines he had recently learned to control, he gestured in his trainer's direction. To emphasize it, he tapped his neck wound lightly, causing the human to wince in pain.

"Ow... it... they got me? I didn't even feel..." Marty's expression softened. "You want me to have the rest?"

Bulbasaur nodded somberly. If this had been a different situation, he might have been happier that his intent was understood so well by his trainer, a human who could not understand a word that came out of his mouth...

The human nodded as well, and drank. It was a quiet moment.

"It's not over yet, Bulbasaur. We can do this. It's a challenge. We'll overcome it." He smiled. "No matter what."

Bulbasaur nodded again. No words he could have said would have mattered.

"It's a beautiful forest, isn't it?" Marty looked up at the various trees of Viridian Forest that surrounded them. Bulbasaur followed his gaze as best as he could. There were various bird and insect and mammal noises all around them. They remained out of sight in the darkness, but he could hear them all, and understand many. Life was going on around them. It made him want to live even more, and make as much...

Marty coughed suddenly. Bulbasaur jumped in reaction and looked at him. There was a small puddle of orange liquid on the ground near him, the same color as the kind dribbling down the trainer's chin.

The antidote.

Marty didn't seem to notice. "It's... relaxing... isn't it? I feel like I could... just... stay here... for the rest of my..."

He didn't finish. To Bulbasaur's shock, his body collapsed pronely onto the ground.

The Pokémon looked around frantically. Where had they gone? The Beedrill had led them off the path... and he didn't...

Marty continued to lie perfectly still. Bulbasaur couldn't even see breathing...

He was out of options.

"HELP!" he shouted in his scratchy voice at the forest around him. "He's going to die! We need help!"

The forest grew quiet. There was no reply. Why would they bother? Marty was just a dying predator to them. And he... his faithful companion.

In that case, he thought...

"We need to get a human out of the forest!" he shouted again. "Where is the nearest town?"

After several seconds without a reply, he gave up on the idea. He used his vines to bind Marty's ankles as best as he could and began to drag him along the leaf-covered ground. In which direction, he didn't know...

"This way."

Bulbasaur raised his head up slightly and started to turn, trying to find the speaker.

"Follow my voice."

Help? Was this the help he had requested? He wished he could believe that. For all he knew, it was a hungry predator, hoping to save a few steps by telling his prey to come to him...

...and if he was, what did it matter? If Marty died, no one would be concerned how it happened. If he died, Bulbasaur would be left alone in this forest, possessing little to nothing in the way of survival instincts or knowledge of the area, and he would find himself prey soon as well.

If the voice was helping... follow it. If it was a trap... no worse than dying slowly in the forest...

He followed it. The voice continued, changing direction slightly as he made slow progress between the trees, the body of his trainer leaving a trail behind him.

* * *

And then it was right in front of him. The town.

It had taken less than an hour. They had apparently not gotten that far out of town. Marty may have been the kind to target the first Beedrill he saw, he considered. "Thank you!" he shouted to the general vicinity.

There was no reply.

Bulbasaur wondered about this. It was possible that providing that kind of assistance to trainers and their Pokémon was frowned upon.

No need to force the issue, he thought. He started to look for anything resembling a Pokémon Center. They healed him. They would be able to heal Marty.

* * *

They didn't. They took the two to a different building. One for people.

Bulbasaur lay down near his trainer's bed, fearing the worst. The humans in this building had been moving frantically, racing against time, trying to do everything they could. He had enough difficulty finding a place where he wouldn't be trampled underfoot...

"...ugh..."

Bulbasaur's face immediately brightened. He hadn't heard a word from his trainer since...

He thought about pulling himself up the side of Marty's bed. He decided against it; there were certain things placed there that the humans tried not to touch unless they needed to. Maybe they were important.

Instead, he latched onto and pulled himself on top of a nearby chair. He was clearly in Marty's view as his eyes slowly opened and adjusted to the light and his new surroundings.

"...hey there..." the boy managed with a weak smile on his face. "You're a pretty cute Pokémon..."

The Pokémon's eyes watered. His effort had paid off. His trainer was awake again, and things were starting to get back to...

"...what kind are you?"

* * *

"The poison made it all the way to his brain", the nurse said sadly to the woman whose face was broadcasted on the phone's screen. "We administered medicine as fast as we could, but the damage is done."

"How long ago did it happen?" the woman asked with a depressed voice.

"We don't know. We think he was in Viridian Forest at the time. The Pokémon Center nurses say his Bulbasaur dragged him in all by itself. It could have been hours."

Said Bulbasaur could no longer see the screen, as the nurse holding him moved to the side to allow another nurse to escort Marty to the screen.

He still heard the woman's voice. "Marty, is that you?"

"Uh... yeah... I think so", the boy responded hesitantly. "Uh... who are you?"

The nurse shook her head sadly. "He can't seem to remember much of anything. We think that given time, he might be able to remember it again or relearn it, but..."

"Now, Marty", his escort said as she led him out of the room, "you will be going home soon. Your parents will be coming for you. Is that okay with you?"

Marty shook his head just before he passed out of sight. "I... I don't know. Was there a reason... why did I come here... alone?"

Bulbasaur was now being carried in the same direction behind them. Before his nurse escort left the room, he was able to hear a bit more of the conversation.

"So... if we help him learn everything again... he'll be okay... right?"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Atrice. We can't repair the brain tissue, and the rest of it is likely to deteriorate as time passes." She took a very deep breath. "He'll be lucky if he survives the month."

* * *

"They say you saved me", Marty said to the Pokémon that was now sitting next to him in the waiting room. "Thank you."

Bulbasaur wished he could nod, or smile, or say comforting words, or anything like that. He couldn't. He hadn't saved him. He had only delayed the inevitable.

As far as everyone was concerned, his trainer was dead. Killed by Beedrills. The poison had done its damage.

...if only he had taken the antidote for himself... he might have been saved. He could have lived the rest of his life, whether training or doing anything else he enjoyed.

...but he didn't. He gave it to Bulbasaur, because he had been attacked first. And Marty wouldn't have been stung at all if he hadn't...

...he hadn't saved his trainer. His trainer had saved him... and was now paying the price.

"So." The boy tilted his head slightly. "What were we doing out there, anyway? I wish I knew..."

Bulbasaur knew exactly why. Marty wanted to be a trainer. He had been preparing for this opportunity for over a year now. He didn't start out _great_ at it or anything, but he didn't intend to give up. And indeed, he had just started to improve...

...if the human was taken home, and he died, what would become of himself? He had no life to return to. He remembered his purpose: to help the boy become a Pokémon trainer. That reason was all he knew, ever since he had come into existence...

_"We're going to give it our all! No one will ever say that we gave up! Agreed?"_

Marty had said that to him... in this very town... when he was the one in pain...

His bag was still covered in dirt from having been dragged across the forest, but it was still intact and lying in the chair next to the boy. Bulbasaur gripped it as best as he could with his vines and brought it to himself. He slowly opened it and rummaged around. A few potions, a few Pokéballs, no antidotes... of course not...

There. He pulled out the Pokédex. It had several scratches on it, but it didn't appear to be broken.

As he managed to open the cover, a mechanical voice spoke out. **This Pokédex is the official property of Martin Atrice, age 10, home town Pallet. We of the Pokémon League hope that it will be of great aid to you as you embark on your career in the exciting future of Pokémon training.**

"...Pokémon training?" Marty's expression was confused. "...I was... a trainer?"

No, the Bulbasaur thought to himself immediately. You still are...

He propped it on the chair at an angle and walked around it, trying to find whatever part of the device would be able to detect his form and cause it to...

**Bulbasaur, the seed Pokémon. The plant that grows on its back allows it to provide sustenance to itself. This Pokémon has been trained by scientists to obey the commands of its owner. It will be your valuable companion throughout the early stages of your journey. Take good care of it, and it will do the same for you.**

"...you... you were my... companion..."

The Pokémon didn't hesitate any longer. He hopped off the chair, wrapped his vines around his trainer's arm, and pulled him in the direction of the door.

The human didn't understand. "No... I... I'm supposed to wait for my mother... right?"

Bulbasaur shook his head repeatedly and continued to pull.

A bit of recognition lit up in the human's expression. Perhaps, Bulbasaur thought, for the first time since he woke up again. "...you want me to keep going..."

"Exactly", Bulbasaur said in a happy voice as he nodded. Once again, it was only perceived as part of his species name.

It didn't matter. His trainer understood, picking up the bag and Pokédex and slowly following him out the door of the hospital.

...and yet... though he understood... he didn't remember. Bulbasaur realized this. He didn't remember his upbringing... or his interests... or his dreams. He couldn't understand how much he had wanted to go on this journey... and how far he had been willing to go...

He would be dead before the month was over, the nurse had said. Did it matter? No, Bulbasaur decided. Marty didn't know that. If he wasn't going to be able to live a full life... he was going to live a fulfilling one. Not one at home, staying with a grieving mother. One of accomplishment, of becoming a Pokémon trainer... just like he always wanted.

He didn't remember that he wanted it. So he was just going to have to learn it again.

He would have very little time to achieve his goal. But he had said it himself. _If we don't... as far as we can... _

The two had promised. They would give it their all, and they would keep going until the day that Marty could go no further. How could they settle for less?

By the time the woman from the viewscreen arrived and entered the hospital, they were long gone.

**_I try my best to see the cup half full and try to smile  
__Try to accept the past; we are only here for a while_**


	2. Outset

In the early daylight, the trees of Viridian Forest seemed much less ominous.

The sounds of the forest, however, were the same as before. Perhaps in larger numbers, as more of the inhabitants were awake at this time. Even after the night's many implications of death, life went on.

"This place is beautiful, isn't it?"

It really was, Bulbasaur had to admit. Even if it held nothing but bad memories for him. Memories that Marty didn't seem to share. He didn't even know that he had said almost the same thing last night...

Those were the first words he had said in a while, Bulbasaur noticed. For the past thirty minutes or so, all he had heard was the sounds of nature, interrupted every so often by the mechanical voice of the device that Marty was holding as tightly as if it was his last lifeline.

In some ways, it was. His trainer was far less confident now. He had apparently been doing a great deal of studying before he embarked on his journey, and that knowledge had to be largely forgotten now. The Pokédex endeavored to compensate, explaining most of the area around them, the purpose of the many bottled liquids and supplies he carried, and identifying whatever creatures remained within range long enough before they scurried away.

"Huh. There's one. Want to go after it?"

Bulbasaur glanced away from his trainer to see the lone Beedrill gazing silently at them.

* * *

_**Beedrill, the poison bee Pokémon. It uses its large stingers to incapacitate its food.**_

_Marty pocketed the Pokédex and looked down at Bulbasaur with a smile. "Ready to do this?" After Bulbasaur's previous wins, it was almost not a question anymore._

_Bulbasaur nodded with a smile and ran toward the hovering insect. It didn't react visibly to his approach._

_"Let's try your Vine Whip", Marty said. Bulbasaur obeyed, extending his vines to strike at his opponent._

_He was too slow. The Beedrill fired some kind of sticky substance from its abdomen before he could finish. The substance coated his body, and the force of the impact caused it to adhere to the ground._

_"C'mon, Bulbasaur! Shake it off!"_

_"Leave."_

_That admonition came from the Beedrill, Bulbasaur noted. He was backing away slowly, not breaking eye contact with him or his trainer._

_He shook off the adhesive and began to pursue the insect deeper into the forest, leaving the path behind. In hindsight, he couldn't remember why he had done that. To finish the battle? To get revenge? Was he just being foolish?_

_No matter what the reason, it was indeed foolish. Though he only realized this when three more Beedrills joined the first one, preparing their stingers..._

* * *

Once again, Bulbasaur used his Vine Whip.

"Huh? What?" Marty could only react in confusion as Bulbasaur tightly bound his arm with the vines. Seconds later, he found himself half running, half being dragged by his Pokémon along the path, away from the still-silent Beedrill.

About a minute later, Bulbasaur finally slowed down. The other Pokémon was no longer in sight.

Marty rubbed his arm in discomfort as Bulbasaur retracted his vines. "What was that about? You don't feel ready to fight?"

Bulbasaur continued to breathe heavily, shaking slightly. That was too close, he thought. He wasn't about to start making the same mistakes again. Not this time.

"...uh... okay." The human looked down the path. "I guess... there's gotta be something easier here. Maybe..."

The Pokédex sounded again, describing the physical properties of a Metapod with its mechanical voice. Bulbasaur didn't pay attention. He was too busy looking at the trees around him, checking for any more signs of an ambush.

* * *

"This... this can't be right."

Bulbasaur looked up at him as he continued to chew away at his meal. Marty's eyes remained glued to the Pokédex.

"Uh... I think... you're supposed to be fighting some of these guys, right? To get stronger, or to weaken them so I can throw one of these balls at them?" He looked at his Pokémon. "You haven't gone after any of them."

He wanted to. Honestly, he did. But... how could he? None of them showed any interest in battling him. And the last time he had hunted one down... was that Beedrill... when...

...but... if he didn't battle... he wasn't training. If he wanted Marty to be a trainer, he would need to change that.

...and still...

Before he could finish questioning himself, Bulbasaur saw motion out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to look, and found something small and green crawling through the high grass to the side of the path. A Caterpie.

It would have to do. He abandoned his meal and quickly ran in its direction. Marty could catch up later.

The Caterpie heard his approach, and started crawling through the taller grass in the opposite direction. At its pace, this was a fruitless effort.

Bulbasaur moved closer. "I want to battle."

The caterpillar didn't respond, continuing its unsteady retreat.

"Please battle me."

It started to head for the nearest tree. Possibly to climb out of range, Bulbasaur considered.

His tone became frustrated. "How am I..."

"Do you want it or not?"

Bulbasaur stopped at the sound of the new voice. It was high-pitched, much like the cry of a bird. He was unable to locate the speaker, though. "I want it, but..."

"Are you taking it?"

He shook his head in no particular direction. "It doesn't want..."

"Then move."

There was a sound of rushing wind coming from Bulbasaur's side. Moving by reflex alone, he managed to hop away in time to see a reasonably large Pidgeotto dive toward the insect. Its approach struck true, and the Caterpie was sent flying a short distance. It landed and failed to rise.

Bulbasaur could only gape in shock. "I said it didn't want to fight!"

The Pidgeotto came into view again, this time using its talons to land directly next to the Caterpie. With a quick move of its head, its beak snapped up the prone insect, and soon the bird was enjoying its fresh meal.

It wasn't completely distracted, though, as it proved when it took off again with bug in mouth just in time to dodge the incoming vine whips. As he retracted them, Bulbasaur angrily watched it alight on a branch out of his reach and gaze down directly at him.

It finished swallowing its dinner and spoke again. "I have never met Pokémon who wanted to be eaten." And with that, it spread its wings and took off again.

As Bulbasaur continued to stare silently at the empty tree branch, Marty walked up behind him. "Uh... don't worry about it. If you keep trying, you'll get one. You just need to be... quicker, right?"

No, the Pokémon thought. Speed had nothing to do with it. The Pidgeotto got the Caterpie because it was ruthless. It wouldn't take no for an answer. If it limited itself to the prey that wanted to be devoured... it would starve to death.

It was a predator. So was he. That really was what it meant to be trained, wasn't it? He could only become stronger at the expense of others.

He wished there were more trained Pokémon to battle. At least they had trainers who could make sure that each battle wasn't their last...

"Look. There's another... uh... worm thing. Try that one."

Bulbasaur looked up at Marty and followed his line of sight to find a yellowish worm crawling in the distance.

**Weedle, the hairy bug Pokémon**, the Pokédex helpfully said. **It subsists on a diet of leaves and fends off predators with its poisonous stinger.**

Poisonous stinger, Bulbasaur noted immediately. He should probably steer clear of this one, too. At least until Marty got his hands on some more...

...no. He was here to train. He had to stop putting it off. He had to start acting like a battler again. The less he thought about the consequences, the better. He extended his vine whips, preparing to...

"Wait. No." Marty glanced back at the Pokédex, then back at Bulbasaur. "If it's a bug, grass isn't that good against it... right?"

Bulbasaur nodded, retracted his vines, and charged directly at the Weedle. His approach was noisy, and the worm noticed. It crawled slightly to the side and laid flat against the ground, leaving its stinger pointed in Bulbasaur's direction.

Good strategy, the grass Pokémon thought. He continued past it, turned quickly, and tackled the bug from behind. The momentum sent the Weedle rolling along the woodland floor, coming to a stop as it struck a tree's root.

It screamed in pain.

Bulbasaur stopped in his tracks.

Marty started walking toward the bug with a small hint of a smile on his face. "Good job", he said to his Pokémon. "Looks like you got the hang of this."

"Why did you hit me?" the Weedle cried, trying to roll itself back to an upright position. It failed. "Please don't hit me again! Go away! Please!"

The human did not understand its words. He pulled out one of his Pokéballs and tossed it at the insect. The orb opened, and the form of the Weedle was soon held within its frame as it closed around it. There was very little struggling, and seconds later, the Pokéball audibly signaled Marty's first successful catch.

The ball flew back to his hand, where he caught it with little effort. He held it tightly and looked down at his Bulbasaur again. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Bulbasaur hadn't moved at all. He had been too busy staring into space, thinking...

He came to a decision. He turned to look up at his master. "Let it out", he said quietly.

Naturally, Marty was unable to understand his words. However, he was perceptive enough to notice that his Pokémon's reaction was not the one he would have expected after a victory. "What's wrong?"

"Let it out", Bulbasaur repeated in a louder voice, emphasizing it by tapping the Pokéball with his vines.

Actions spoke louder than words. Marty looked at the Pokéball, shrugged, and tossed it to the ground. The ball opened and released its contents, which quickly reformed into a still-injured Weedle.

It spoke again. "W... what's going on? I'm scared... it hurts..."

"Potion", Bulbasaur said immediately. He didn't even wait for an attempt at recognition before he vine-tapped the bag on Marty's back.

"Hey, don't... wait. My bag... you want something from it..." Marty looked at the Weedle again. "A potion, maybe?"

Bulbasaur nodded and smiled, and Marty wasted no time finding one of his vials and administering it to the Weedle. Shortly afterward, it was hard to tell that it had been attacked in the first place.

Aside from its demeanor. "Why did you hit me?" it asked sadly.

The grass Pokémon tried to keep himself from feeling guilty. "You were an easy target. Anyone in this forest could have attacked you." He looked at the surrounding trees. "You are too young to travel alone." Even if the two Pokémon were close to the same age, he didn't think this was hypocritical. Marty qualified as supervision.

"I..." The Weedle looked depressed. "I can't find my family. Have you seen them?"

"You're lost?" Bulbasaur tried to remember. He hadn't seen any other Weedles around. This one wasn't traveling in any particular direction when he found him. So he wouldn't...

...was he really going to help this child get home? He had his own road to travel with his trainer. He would be fighting far more Pokémon before the end, and many of them may have also strayed from their loved ones. And...

...Marty just caught his first wild Pokémon. He didn't want to ruin the moment.

"Is it feeling better?" the human asked.

Bulbasaur glanced at him, and then faced the timid insect again. "I have a proposal", he said. "That boy and I are headed north. You should come with us. If we come across your family, you can tell me. If we don't..." He paused to think about what he wanted to say. "...we'll gladly let you join us instead."

The Weedle looked around the forest one more time. "...I think I can do that, okay." It looked directly at Bulbasaur's eyes. "You aren't going to hit me again, are you?"

"Try to understand. He's a trainer. I battle." He took a closer look at the Weedle. "What attacks do you know?"

* * *

"String shots and poison stings", Marty muttered as he looked up from his Pokédex. "And no strong physical attacks."

"Do I have to fight?" Weedle asked Bulbasaur. "I might get in the way..."

Bulbasaur looked at Marty. "We should let him decide. He's the trainer. He knows more about your kind than I do."

The human closed the Pokédex and pocketed it. "It needs to get tougher, and fast. Let's try this." He knelt down to look at the Weedle. "I'll put you in first. You do one of your moves... I'll tell you which one... and then I'll swap Bulbasaur in for you. That way, you'll get your training and you won't be stuck having to beat them yourself."

He turned to Bulbasaur. "That's okay with you, right? I think... we were here before, right? You've already become stronger, and I think you could beat anything here easily." He glanced at the insect. "This is for Weedle's sake, okay?"

Bulbasaur nodded. "Okay."

Weedle blinked. "Can he tell what you said?" it asked.

"Probably not", Bulbasaur admitted. "I think he's good at reading body language, though. If he can pick up on my tone of voice, even better." He smiled. "Spend some time with him, and I'm sure you can get him to understand you, too."

Before Weedle could say anything else, it was recalled into his Pokéball. Marty placed it on his belt and gestured to Bulbasaur. "It'll be safer in there. If we get attacked again, you can survive it, right?"

Maybe, Bulbasaur considered.

* * *

_"Are you okay?"_

_Bulbasaur wasn't sure. The retreating Beedrills hadn't been interested in rendering him dead or unconscious. Once Marty had blocked them from finishing the fight, they must have decided against doing so._

_He had still taken a hit, though. He could still feel it: an open wound on his back, precariously close to his bud._

_Marty found it quickly. "A Beedrill's poison sting. That's not a very strong attack, is it?" He paused for a moment in thought. "Even if you're a Grass type..."_

_Bulbasaur had to admit it. He was still standing. Marty's quick thinking had ended the fight before it could get ugly._

_"...you don't need a potion. We'll save them. Unless..." He pulled out his Pokédex and held it in Bulbasaur's direction. "I think we'd better check for poison."_

* * *

Marty wasn't mistaken about his injury. Bulbasaur had retained most of his strength after the battle. After all, he had managed to drag his trainer all the way back to Viridian.

His fears didn't come to pass, anyway. The group had made it to the next town without severe injury. Weedle hadn't reported seeing any of his family along the way, not that Bulbasaur had seen any Weedles himself, and he was starting to grow accustomed to battling.

At least, for most of the trip. For the last fifteen minutes, he had been reluctant to come out of his Pokéball. Bulbasaur wasn't sure why.

"Okay, let's see..." Marty knelt down and checked Bulbasaur for injuries. "You're not injured... neither is the Weedle. Okay. That gym here... we'll head in right now. If we win, great. If we don't, we go to the... center place and figure out what we need to do to win next time. Either way, we rest afterward. Okay?"

"Okay", he replied. Hopefully he had trained enough. He'd never seen a gym before, and had no idea just what kind of challenge awaited him inside.

* * *

"The battle will be two-on-two." The other human in the room was a tall man with dark skin, black hair and a calm expression on his face. "Begin."

Bulbasaur prepared to walk forward, but stopped when he saw Marty gesturing at him to stay behind. He obeyed, remaining passive as his trainer took the Pokéball from his belt and cast it into the middle of the unusual pattern that had been drawn upon the building's floor.

Nothing happened.

"Is there a problem?" the other trainer asked.

"Uh... I hope not", Marty replied. He took a few steps forward and knelt down by the Pokéball's side. "Come on out. It's okay."

_Now_ there was a reaction. The sphere opened, and its inhabitant emerged.

...it wasn't Weedle. This Pokémon, while just as yellow, did not have any visible legs, stingers, or even a face aside from two large, dark eyes.

"Huh?" Marty went immediately for his Pokédex.

**Kakuna, the cocoon Pokémon. Its hard shell renders itself nearly immobile, but protects the creature as it prepares for the next stage of evolution.**

"...okaaay", Marty finished. "I didn't expect that."

"Not a good sign", the other trainer pointed out. "You should always ensure that your Pokémon is prepared before engaging in battle." He took one of his own Pokéballs out and threw it forward. "Geodude, you start."

Bulbasaur could only watch curiously as the floating two-armed rock approached the motionless cocoon's position. After all, he understood the rules. He would not be able to step in until Marty removed the Kakuna and signaled him.

"Okay... uh... Kakuna..." Marty sounded indecisive as he kept his eyes on his Pokédex. "Start with... uh... Harden?"

The Kakuna responded, its body shining slightly and gaining some strength. It was hardly an attack, but...

"That may not be enough to withstand rock-type moves", his opponent said. "Rock Throw!"

Geodude produced a boulder, slightly smaller than its own form, and tossed it at the Kakuna. It was not enough to crush the insect within, but its shell was visibly damaged.

"No..." Marty said quietly as he winced. "Please... can't you do anything? I... I don't want you to..."

"Let's end this quickly. Tackle!" The Geodude raised one of its arms and charged directly at the weakened cocoon.

"...no..."

"Do something!" Bulbasaur shouted. "Dodge! Use your stinger! Anything!"

The Kakuna must have heard him. As the Geodude continued its trajectory, it rolled slightly in its direction. While it couldn't achieve any significant velocity, it was able to extend a stinger from its head and point it in the direction of the approaching boulder.

The two collided.

The Kakuna rolled backward to a stop beside his trainer, visibly unconscious. The Geodude bounced easily, and then floated backward in preparation for Marty's next choice of Pokémon.

"There wasn't much you could have done", the other trainer said. "Even that sting only does minor damage to a rock-type."

Marty sighed, shook his head, and recalled the Kakuna into his Pokéball. "I'm sorry. I'll never do that to you again. I promise." He gestured to Bulbasaur. "Your turn."

Trying to ignore his fear of what had just happened to the Kakuna, Bulbasaur hesitantly stepped forward to face the floating boulder.

The opposing trainer spoke immediately. "Tackle!" Geodude once again charged forward, this time at the plant Pokémon.

"Tackle it back!" Marty shouted. Bulbasaur understood, running forward and trying to strike back with his head.

The two collided, and both fell.

Geodude was the first to rise. Behind it, the trainer shook his head. "Not a good idea. Rock Pokémon can withstand such attacks easily." He pointed. "Rock Throw, now."

Bulbasaur tried to stand quickly. It took him a moment, but he succeeded. As he regained his bearings, he saw the Geodude lobbing yet another boulder at him.

It landed to his left. He jumped in surprise at the noisy impact, turned to see the rock come to a sliding halt, and then looked back at his opponent to see that it was floating more unsteadily than before.

The other trainer's expression shifted slightly. "...poisoned. It seems that sting worked for you after all."

Marty smiled. "Right! This is our chance! Vine Whip!" Bulbasaur nodded and struck the Geodude with them as quickly as he could before it could recover.

He didn't need to worry. A few vine strikes, and the Geodude had already collapsed upon the floor. Immediately afterward, it was recalled to the Pokéball in the opposing trainer's hand. Without another word, he sent out the next Pokéball. As its inhabitant emerged, Bulbasaur looked up to meet its eye.

And up. And up.

The rocky snake looked down upon him with an expression of curiosity and disdain.

"Let's get the first hit this time!" Marty shouted. "Vine Whip!" Bulbasaur repeated his ranged attack, sending his vines at the giant creature before...

* * *

It was almost half a minute before Bulbasaur was finally able to reorient himself.

Marty was standing behind him. In front of him, the visibly surprised trainer of this gym. And on all sides, blocking almost his entire view of either of them, was the rock snake lying flat upon the ground.

Unconscious.

"Challenger wins", the gym leader said in a tone of voice that suggested that he didn't want to be saying those words.

The form of the rock snake disappeared as it was recalled, and Bulbasaur was once again disoriented as he found himself being picked up by Marty. "Way to go!"

"Listen to me", the gym leader said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object. "This badge is proof that you have defeated me. You will need seven more of these to reach the Pokémon League." He took a deep breath. "But I worry that you may not be up to the task."

As Marty took the badge, he continued. "Plant types like your Bulbasaur are perfectly suited for battling rock and ground Pokémon. You could have easily won this battle in two hits. And in the end, that's exactly what happened." He shook his head. "Few of your other actions were suitable for a gym battle. If you hope to ever earn another badge, you need to improve _greatly_. Familiarize yourself with your Pokémon. Learn their strengths and weaknesses, and go into battle with a strategy. If you fail to do this, you will never reach the League. Do you understand?"

Marty looked hurt for a moment, but then recovered. "I understand." He smiled. "Thanks for the advice. Don't worry. I promise I'll get better." He looked down at his Bulbasaur. "Come on. We need to get W... Kakuna to the Center, right?"

* * *

"You don't need to worry", the nurse said. "He's doing fine. In fact, we're ready to release him to you."

Marty breathed a sigh of relief, as did Bulbasaur. "Is this... um... will he still be able to evolve?"

As another employee brought out the Kakuna, the nurse examined it. "I don't see why not. His body wasn't crushed. I'd say..."

She stopped suddenly, reaching out her hand and feeling the surface of the shell. "Well... we're just in time. I think he's about to break the shell right now."

In a matter of seconds, what was formerly a touching reunion had become a public spectacle, as everyone in the room came forward to watch the insect slowly emerge from its cocoon. Marty picked up Bulbasaur and held him so he would have a better view.

A stinger emerged, followed by another. As the insect emerged, it became apparent that these were the ends of its arms. Its wings extended from its back as it slid out smoothly, and then flapped experimentally a few times. Its striped body slid out next, revealing a third stinger on its abdomen, with a pair of legs on each side providing the final push that brought the Pokémon completely out of its shell.

The nurse smiled at Marty, eyes closed. "Congratulations, sir. Your Kakuna has evolved into a..."

Her last words were drowned out by Marty's Pokédex. **Beedrill, the poison bee Pokémon. It uses its large stingers to incapacitate its food.**

Said Beedrill flapped its wings a few more times, and then it left the ground unsteadily. Seconds later, it was finding its new airborne stance more comfortable. He turned to look at Marty and Bulbasaur. "Hey! Look at me! I can fly now!"

Bulbasaur's vines instinctively wrapped around Marty's arm as he jumped free from his grip and started tugging impatiently.

Marty looked at him in a confused manner. "Do we need to go somewhere?" A moment later, he shrugged and followed, pausing briefly to thank the nurse again on the way out.

* * *

"I'm sorry", the Beedrill said as they traveled quickly down the hall toward the room Marty would be using that night. "I wanted to fight, but..."

Bulbasaur didn't reply.

"I know... you wanted me to help." He shook his head. "It's okay now, right? I don't evolve again, do I?"

Still no reply. Marty made a turn, and they followed.

"I think I got a new move, too. I'll learn more, too. And I'll train! I'm not weak! Really!"

Marty came to a stop and began to unlock the door on his left.

"Please! I'm sorry! Say something to me!"

Bulbasaur turned to face him. "You were looking for your family. They're all Beedrills, correct?"

The Beedrill nodded. "That's right. But we didn't see them..."

"They live south of where we met. We went the wrong way to find them."

"Oh."

The door opened, and Marty entered. Beedrill prepared to follow, only to be blocked by Bulbasaur.

The plant Pokémon tried to smile. "With your new wings, you can fly back easily. I'm sure you'll find them again."

The bug Pokémon started to nod, and then stopped. "You're letting me go?"

"That's right. I promised we would."

"Oh." The bee looked back down the hall. "I don't mind staying, really..."

"They must be worried about you."

"Are you sure? They let the others go when they evolve..."

Bulbasaur's voice became more impatient. "I thought you hated getting hurt."

"I did. But... I'm getting better, right? If I..."

Bulbasaur interrupted. "This isn't the place for you. You need to find your own path."

"Please? Give me a little more time to decide?"

"No. I can't."

The Beedrill looked inside the room. Marty had already gone into the shower area. "But... can I at least stay here tonight? It's late."

Bulbasaur used his vines to push Beedrill away. "No. Get going."

"Can't I even say goodbye to him?"

Bulbasaur finally lost his patience. "No! Stay away from him!" And without another pause, he struck the door with a vine, causing it to slam in the Beedrill's face.

He turned around to look at the room. It was a simple room, with one bed and a window view of this town's gym, as well as another attached room with the shower. The light was still on; Marty must have still been in there.

There was a tapping sound at the door. "Is something wrong?" the muffled voice of the Beedrill said from the opposite side.

He ignored him. He would go away eventually, he thought. At least, he hoped he would...

_**Here is to fear  
**__**For keeping us alert**_


	3. Inclusive

Bulbasaur awoke to the sound of a coughing fit.

The early light of sunrise illuminated the room where he and his master had spent the night. Said master was currently breathing heavily in the washroom, although he was sounding better by the second. He hadn't turned a light on; the light from the window was enough, save for a shadow that was being cast upon the floor by...

...oh, no. This had to be some kind of joke.

Bulbasaur turned toward the window to glare at the Beedrill there. He was pressed against the outside glass, arms and legs providing a solid grip, sad red eyes gazing into the room.

He wasn't sure if the window was soundproof. "_Why_ are you out there?"

"Uh... they put me out here last night." His voice was muffled, yet understandable. "I had to sleep here."

The grass Pokémon shook his head. "Why are you _still_ out there? I told you to leave!"

Beedrill's head lowered sadly. "Why do you want to get rid of me?"

"You shouldn't be here. You have a home. You have your own..."

"Please stop. I don't want you to be jealous."

Bulbasaur looked at him as if he was crazy. "Jealous? You think I'm _jealous_?"

"Oh, you're letting him fly around?"

Both Pokémon turned their heads to look at Marty. He smiled back at them. "I wish I'd thought of that."

Bulbasaur looked back at the bee. "I don't get jealous. I know I don't have a family, but..."

"Huh?" Beedrill blinked a few times. "What about the wings?"

"The _wings?_"

Beedrill nodded. "I know... I got caught up in the moment, showing them off. And... I guess it's hard to have to walk everywhere and see me... I didn't mean to make you feel bad." He didn't have a visible mouth, but his eyes resembled those of someone who was smiling. "Can we still be friends?"

It took Bulbasaur a moment to collect his thoughts. "You think I'm mad about _the wings_?"

"Well... yeah. You were a lot nicer to me before I got them."

"We'll head down and eat in a few minutes, okay?" Marty interrupted.

Bulbasaur turned his head and nodded at his master, then winced slightly as the other Pokémon did the same thing.

Beedrill didn't seem to notice. "Then... why _are_ you mad at me?" He paused briefly. "Maybe... you said you don't have a family?"

"It's not that, either!" He turned to look at Marty again, in time to see him changing his shirt. "He's my family. He always has been. That's all I ever needed."

"Huh? I didn't think... oh. Don't worry. I understand. I'm not trying to tear you apart."

Bulbasaur flinched automatically at those words. This reaction was only compounded when he saw Marty turn to put his other shirt on, revealing the bandages on the back of his neck.

"...you can't be here", he muttered. "Not after..."

"What's that thing on his back?"

Bulbasaur looked back at the insect. The expression in his eyes was that of curiosity. It was almost as though he didn't know what Marty had been through. Probably because he didn't.

"A sting wound", he replied flatly.

"Sting?" He raised one of his arms to reveal the stinger on the end. "Like this one?"

"_Exactly_ like that one." Bulbasaur shook his head. "You shouldn't be here. We've had... bad experiences with your kind."

"Oh." The Beedrill's voice became slightly more cheerful. "Is that all? You battled one of them, and he got hit? I know it hurts, but I'm sure battlers like you can..."

"He's **dying**."

The bug stopped immediately.

"Marty's not a Pokémon. He doesn't battle. He can't withstand attacks like we can. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that's all it took."

"...wow." Beedrill looked at his stinger again. "He should go to the nurse."

Bulbasaur glared at him. "We _went_ to the nurse! They couldn't help him! Don't you understand? He's _still_ dying! He'll be gone in less than a month, and I'll be left without a trainer or a family or anything else, and it's _all because of you and your stupid family!_"

Beedrill didn't visibly react. There was a long period of silence, broken only by the sound of Marty putting on his shirt.

Finally the insect spoke again. "But..."

"I'm sorry", Bulbasaur said. "Just go. I don't want to look at you."

"I wasn't there at the time..."

"You look exactly like them. I remember it... every time I see..."

"_I_ wouldn't have stung him..."

"How can you be sure?" Bulbasaur eyed him angrily again. "How do we know that if we had come by a week later, you wouldn't have been hovering next to them, sending him to his death?"

Beedrill turned his head away, his eyes no longer visible from Bulbasaur's perspective. His voice had become softer. "I... no... I'm not like them... I never want to be like them... believe me..."

"You shouldn't stay here. For his sake..."

"...I can't go back... if I go back... I'll be one of them... I don't want to be one of them..."

"You don't have to go back." Bulbasaur looked out the window, past the now-despondent insect, to the landscape in the distance. "There are many other places for..."

"Okay, I'm ready."

He turned around to see Marty smiling at him. "Let him back inside and we'll get going."

Bulbasaur briefly wondered about his trainer's sanity. A moment later, Beedrill raised the same question. "So why doesn't _he_ hate me?"

"He can't remember it", Bulbasaur replied matter-of-factly. "He lost his memory. I don't think he even knows that your family was responsible."

"Oh. It's that bad?" Beedrill paused for a second. "I guess... I'm sorry. You're right. If he knew, he'd tell me to leave too, right?"

No, Bulbasaur thought to himself. Marty wasn't like that. He was the kind who would never let a bad moment cloud his enthusiasm. He would be welcoming Beedrill fondly, celebrating his recent evolution, and figuring out how to best put his skills to use. He might have been unhappy about the whole Beedrill attack, true, but he wouldn't be having recurring nightmares or holding a personal grudge against everything that flew and had stingers.

"Is he coming?"

And he certainly wouldn't have hesitated for even a second to open that window...

Bulbasaur extended a vine and struck the window's latch. Five seconds later, the window was open, allowing Beedrill to...

Beedrill practically tackled Marty to the floor as he flew inside. Marty wasn't hurt; he just stumbled to a seated position on the floor. As the grass Pokémon watched with concern, Beedrill rested his head against his trainer's chest as he extended his stingers and...

...wrapped them around his trainer's back. The tips didn't come into contact with him, and his abdominal stinger was left resting upon the floor.

"I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry", the bug babbled in a distressed voice. "I had no idea I didn't know you were dying I didn't know we hurt you I didn't know you must hate me please don't hate me I'm sorry I'll make it up to you I promise I will please don't hate me!"

Naturally, Marty couldn't understand a single word of his buzzing. But he could see the way the Beedrill was shuddering, and see the moisture in his large red eyes, and feel his arms holding him as tightly as possible, and come to his own conclusion from that.

"You aren't alone", he said quietly, resting a hand on the insect's back. "We'll take care of you."

Beedrill looked up at the human's face. He smiled. The Pokémon then turned to look at Bulbasaur with a questioning expression.

Bulbasaur sighed. "You heard him. Stay with us."

Beedrill quietly nodded, and then stopped. "You mean it? But..."

"He's the trainer. He makes the decisions." He took a deep breath. "And I'll trust him."

"But... you still don't..."

"I know." He tried to calm himself. "I need you to help me with this. Don't charge him like that. Be careful where you point your arms. And the same goes for... just, whatever you do, don't make me worry." He slowly approached the other two. "I'm not going to feel much better unless I'm sure that you aren't going to sting him again."

"...okay." He spread his wings and lifted off the ground again. "But..."

Marty had already started to walk out the door, Bulbasaur immediately after him. Beedrill left in the same direction, more slowly.

"...can't you at least say... that I didn't sting him the first time?"

* * *

"There are only two ways out of this town." Marty traced his finger to the right along one of the map's paths. "The way we're going... we go through this cave... and then there's a town... okay?"

Bulbasaur gave him a nod. He continued. "The cave gets kinda dark, they said. We'll need a light." He reached into his bag and pulled out what appeared to be an unlit torch. "I got one of these. Maybe it'll be enough. Maybe I should get some more." He shrugged. "Either way, we stop by the store, okay?"

"Why does he keep talking?" Beedrill asked. "No one's going to answer."

"He's still unsure of himself", Bulbasaur explained. "It probably helps him get his thoughts in order. Besides, _we_ can hear him."

"But we can't..."

"Trust me. He knows we can understand him. And... honestly, if he does something wrong, we'll find a way to let him know."

Beedrill nodded quietly. Bulbasaur smiled. "I like it when he talks to us, anyway. It means we matter to him, right?"

"Wait. Where are we going?" The bug looked around. "Didn't he say we were..."

Marty stopped suddenly, as if he had just remembered something. Or, at least, that he had been reminded of it.

He turned around and looked back the way they came. "We should eat something first, shouldn't we?"

* * *

The caves of Mt. Moon were as dark as advertised. There was just enough daylight from the entrance to allow trainers and their Pokémon to find their way through the entrance area. As soon as anyone decided to start looking around, though, they would need to turn to alternate light sources. Marty's torch sufficed.

If this was such a major thoroughfare, Bulbasaur thought, you would expect someone to set up their own lights along the way. Maybe there was a good reason.

"I have a question."

Bulbasaur turned slowly to look at the Beedrill. His eyes were worried, as was his voice. "Um... what do we do if he gives us an order... and... um... we don't want to follow it?"

"He's your trainer", he replied. "He knows best."

"But... what about you? If you don't... um..."

"Is there something wrong? You can tell me."

"It's just... well, we had all those battles, and there was that rock thing, and... what if it happens again?"

Bulbasaur shook his head. "I don't think you're weak. Even if you are, you can..."

"It's not that", Beedrill interrupted. "I mean, what if he tells me to poison them again?"

"You do what he..." He trailed off, as he suddenly considered something.

_Bulbasaur charged the young Weedle with intent to tackle him. The Weedle responded by laying flat upon the ground, such that any incoming attacker would run into his stinger..._

_Marty sent Weedle out against the wild Pikachu along the path. "Poison Sting!" he ordered, knowing that Weedle would be switched for Bulbasaur after landing his attack..._

_Geodude went for the final blow to eliminate Kakuna from the match. Kakuna would not go down without doing some damage, and extended his stinger to do just that. In fact, it was Bulbasaur who suggested it this time..._

Bulbasaur looked at Beedrill more closely. He was surprisingly lanky, with legs that looked like they could barely support his weight if his wings were to give out. He didn't look like a particularly strong fighter, and he didn't seem to have any propensity toward elemental attacks or the like. If any part of him looked threatening, it was...

"...those stingers are your only attack, aren't they?"

Beedrill looked thoughtful. "Well... there's my... uh... string shot."

"That's not an attack. I mean, is that all you can do to incapacitate your food, or to protect yourself from hungry predators? They come after you... and you sting them?"

Beedrill's voice was soft again. "...they're all dying. Just like him..."

Bulbasaur hesitated, but tried to sound reassuring. "I'm sure their trainers have antidotes. Or... took them to the nurse."

"That didn't help _him_."

"Marty was... an odd case. I think... at least... _I don't know!_ Maybe if he'd gotten there faster! Maybe it's different with a Pokéball! Just..." He had a quick thought. "...did that guy in the gym kick us out for poisoning Geodude?"

"Well, no..."

"Maybe... if you had killed him, he would have been angrier?" This argument was becoming more comfortable for Bulbasaur. Even he found it easy to believe. "I'm sure he's fine. His trainer cares for him, I'll bet."

Beedrill nodded slowly, and then stopped. "And the ones we fought who didn't have trainers?"

Bulbasaur sighed. He didn't have an answer for that one. At least, aside from the usual one. _We're predators..._

There was another idea that came to mind.

"You said something last night... about a new move?"

* * *

Marty didn't leave the question unanswered for long.

"Okay, Beedrill, use your..." He looked at his Pokédex. "...Fury Attack."

Beedrill nodded and closed in on the Paras. As it was still wrapped up in his string, it had considerably less chance to escape his approach. He raised an arm stinger quickly and impaled the mushroom with it. A second later, he pulled it out, only to strike him with his other stinger. He gave it two more jabs for good measure, at which point he could tell that the Paras was unconscious.

"Nicely done!"

Beedrill sighed, looking at his stingers. "I can't help it, can I?" He looked back at Bulbasaur, who remained at his master's side. "I can only sting them until they die..."

Bulbasaur stepped forward, shaking his head. "It's not dead."

"...close enough. A few seconds from now..." He closed his eyes. "I'm sorry. You wanted me to go... for a good reason. I can't fight without killing. You know it." A gesture at Marty. "And he'll..."

Bulbasaur looked back at Marty. He was fishing in his bag for a Pokéball. He turned again. "That isn't..."

Beedrill was already flying out of the room.

"No! Don't get separated!" The other Pokémon took off as quickly as he could in the same direction.

At the sound of running, Marty looked up to see Bulbasaur heading off into the darkness. He glanced down at the unconscious Paras again, and at the Pokéball.

Without waiting any longer, he ran off in the same direction, leaving the mushroom Pokémon behind.

* * *

Bulbasaur probably should have made sure his trainer was following more closely, he considered. It was difficult to see in this cave without him.

Even worse, he was now staring at a branch in the tunnels. Beedrill was a flyer; he wouldn't have left footprints or a trail.

"Which way are you going?" he yelled.

The reply was quick yet soft. "Don't follow me!"

"Why not?"

"...I... I can't let myself fight anymore... and you're afraid of me. I need to go away."

Bulbasaur shook his head angrily. "Even if you do... you should wait until you're outside first! It's not..."

Beedrill's voice was frightened. "...uh... this isn't... where's the way out?"

He sighed. This was exactly what he had been trying to avoid.

Seconds later, Marty caught up behind him. "Which way did he go?" he asked immediately, looking down at the Pokémon.

"We're not going to leave you in here!" Bulbasaur shouted. "We'll get you out, okay? Where are you?"

"...I don't know."

"Keep talking. We'll follow your voice."

The walls of the cave were more prone to echoes than expected, so the trail was a bit more misleading than expected. Marty had an easier time locating the insect's voice than Bulbasaur did. He wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because he could make out his buzz more easily, or that he didn't have to listen to or think about anything Beedrill had been saying.

It took them only two minutes to reach him.

Beedrill's body was visibly shaking. "It was scary", he said in a quivering voice. "I don't like this place."

"It's okay now. Come on. We'll get you out of here."

"And then... you'll let me go?"

"...if you want", Bulbasaur said slowly. He glanced up at Marty as he said it. He wasn't sure if his trainer would necessarily agree...

Marty looked down at the two, and then turned around. "Okay, let's go", he said slowly.

And stopped. "Uh... which way did we come from?"

Bulbasaur winced.

* * *

On the brighter side, Marty _did_ leave footprints as he went through the tunnels. The cave had more than its fair supply of everyone else's footprints, though, so Bulbasaur had to keep a close eye on them and lead the way.

"Why did you come back for me?"

Bulbasaur had tried to come up with many reasons why he would have done this for Beedrill. Many of them were good enough, but none of them were as significant as the main one. The one he didn't want to say to him.

This was his fault.

When he had first met that Weedle, he was a timid child, afraid of fighting and confused by the world around him. He and Marty had captured him, and helped train him, and watched him as he evolved. Even though he was not yet a worthy battler, he was starting to improve. Just like everyone else. There were hard times, and yet he withstood them.

And finally, he had become a Beedrill.

Relatively speaking, he was a clean slate. He had barely even been influenced by his own family of Beedrills. He could have done almost anything he wanted with his adulthood.

So naturally, Bulbasaur had tried to abandon him, making him feel unloved, and then heaped all of his own and Marty's problems on him, essentially accusing him of being a killer.

And now... he was finding it nearly impossible to convince him otherwise. He had been given a chance to influence the life of another Pokémon... and he had turned him into this... insecure... guilty...

"We don't leave our own behind!" he shouted. "Isn't that enough?"

"...okay..." the Beedrill replied. "But... I don't want to be a burden..."

Marty coughed suddenly.

"...no", the insect said immediately. "It's starting..."

Bulbasaur tried his hardest to not lose his temper. "It's not that bad yet! He did this earlier! Give him a minute to clear his throat, and he'll be ready to..."

Marty coughed a few more times, kneeling down to the ground to keep himself from losing his balance. Good idea, he thought. He could...

The torch in his hand audibly struck the stone ground a few times. Then all was darkness.

* * *

"...um..."

"Oh, no... I shouldn't have dropped... I'm sorry, guys. That was... dumb."

"...what do we do now?"

"I don't know."

"Neither of you would happen to know a fire-type move the Pokédex didn't mention, would you? Or light-type? _Is there _a light type?"

Bulbasaur worried briefly. He'd never been in completely dark conditions for long, had he? He was a grass type... what if he couldn't photosynthesize? How long would he be able to go before...

"...wait. Let me try that."

There was a clicking sound, and then a small amount of visible light. Enough to see maybe three feet clearly, as well as make out Marty's face again. It was apparently coming from his open Pokédex.

"...I guess it's something", Marty said. "At least until we... oh, no." He shook his head. "I didn't... I should have gotten more torches back in town, right?"

Bulbasaur winced. His trainer had suggested the idea before, hadn't he?

"...let's get out of here, fast. Okay?" Marty stood up and started walking slowly. Bulbasaur joined him.

"...um... where are you going?"

Bulbasaur turned to look in Beedrill's direction. "Out of here. It might take us a while to find a way out, so..."

"How? I can't see a thing."

"What?" Bulbasaur looked at Marty again. "You can't see the light? Did you go blind?"

"...I don't think so... I saw you fine before. Maybe... it's just my eyes? In this dark?"

"I can see a little. Follow my voice."

Beedrill started moving his wings again, but didn't move. "Uh... what if I run into you?"

"Just... hold out your arms. Feel around."

"I can't."

"Why not?" Bulbasaur's voice was showing signs of frustration.

Beedrill's voice had softened again. "What if I reach out... and I run into you... and the stingers..."

Bulbasaur audibly groaned. Not this again...

"I knew it... I'm in..."

"I don't care!" Bulbasaur shouted. "If you need to use your arms, use them! I'm not going to stop you!"

"But... the poison..."

"Listen _very carefully_ to me." He hoped that his theory was correct. "Remember that Paras you fought? The one with the mushroom? You... stung it a few times?"

"Yeah."

"It _wasn't poisoned_."

"Huh?" Beedrill hesitated. "...how do you know?"

"Because it wasn't dead when you left. And it fell to the ground without any signs of dizziness. And a plant type like it would have gone down in fewer than four stings if they were poisonous. And that thing Marty's carrying says it's a normal-type move. And because _I said so_."

Beedrill stared at him, speechless.

"You _have_ to be more than a flying Pokémon of death! Otherwise they'd be trying to wipe out your family on sight! Believe me! _You are not a killer!_ You've _never_ acted like a killer! I bet you could stick your stinger directly into my back and never release a single drop of poison if you wanted!"

"...are you sure?"

"We'll try it when we get out of here. And you'll keep training, and you'll get stronger! And learn even better moves! And if they also involve your stingers, fine! I don't care!" He walked directly up to Beedrill. "I am _through_ with letting a few pointy tips keep you from becoming the kind of Pokémon you want to be! If you want to come with us, come with us! If you want to return to your family, do that! Or head off! You can do whatever you want, because you are _not _weak, and you are_ not _a burden, and you are _not a killer_ if you don't want to be one!"

He took a brief moment to catch his breath. He had absolutely no idea what this must have sounded like to Marty.

"What about Marty?"

"He wants you to come with him." He sighed briefly. "Why wouldn't he? You didn't have anything to do with his injury."

Once again, silence. And then two words. "Thank you."

"Let's go", he said in response. "Like I said, follow my voice. Use your arms if you need to feel your way around. And if you accidentally poke something, just don't poison it and you'll be okay."

"Right!" Beedrill replied. Seconds later, he was slowly following the other two members of his group, with considerably more enthusiasm than he had displayed at any time during the day so far.

Maybe not as much as the previous day. It was okay. They could work on it.

* * *

"I don't think we went the right way", Marty admitted.

Bulbasaur couldn't see any footprints in this darkness, so he was in no position to argue. Beedrill was looking tense again. Marty had taken to putting his right hand against the wall constantly. This bothered Bulbasaur; it looked too much like he was about to lose his balance.

There was one thing that made things a bit better, all things considering. They had yet to run into any...

"_Gah!_"

He immediately looked in Marty's direction. It was hard to tell in the dim light, but there was motion in the air around him. The sounds were considerably more identifiable. Flapping wings. High-pitched squeaks, in enough number to be completely unintelligible. Marty waved him arms around as if he was trying to shoo something away. Beedrill had taken up position a few feet away from him.

"Get them off me! Fast!"

Bulbasaur didn't hesitate to extend his vine whips. He did, however, aim them away from his trainer as he flailed them wildly, hoping to strike whatever was attacking him. Beedrill, meanwhile, was hovering with his back to him, swinging his arm stingers in a chaotic manner.

The vines weren't working. Bulbasaur winced and tried to think of other options. He could fire off a few seeds, or he could...

Something loudly struck the ground behind him. He jumped in surprise, only to be even more surprised when he collided with something in midair, knocking him back to the ground again.

Everything went dark. Darker than before, anyway.

"...no..."

...that, he wasn't expecting. He thought he had lost consciousness at first. But while the flapping and squeaking had died down, he could still hear a few things. The buzzing of Beedrill's wings. A weak high-pitched moan. And his trainer's voice, trying its hardest to form a complete sentence and failing.

"...did it... oh no... how could... those things..."

Bulbasaur slowly turned his head in the direction of his voice, trying to figure out what he was talking about. It was harder to see than before, as the light had gone out completely when...

...something had struck the ground of the cave, causing him to jump...

"...it broke..."

So much for their backup source of light, he pondered. It looked like they were just going to have to feel their way out of the situation. That... or be stuck here... for the rest of their lives...

"Where are you?" Beedrill's voice asked. "I still can't see..."

"Down here", Bulbasaur said, turning himself back onto his feet again.

"Why did it have to break?!" Marty shouted in frustration. "What am I supposed to do now? Why can't I get some good luck for a change?"

"...that hurt..."

That was not one of the voices Bulbasaur had been expecting to hear. It sounded annoyed, slightly weak, and... apparently female. "Who's there?" he asked.

"...you should leave...", the voice continued. "Or they'll... come back..."

Bulbasaur sighed. "We'd love to leave, but we..."

"It's over", Marty's voice said, interrupting the less-understandable conversation. "We're finished."

The Pokémon tried again. "We can't find the way out."

Beedrill spoke now. "Are you okay, miss? You sound hurt."

"...I can't get up... I didn't expect... that tackle." The female audibly groaned. "Get it over with..."

"Get what over with?"

"...you got me... finish me... take me with you... whichever you want..."

Bulbasaur hesitated. "We... weren't really trying to..."

"Um... we have potions, right?" Beedrill asked with a friendly voice. "Maybe... you want one?"

"...if you want. Go ahead... I won't stop you..."

"Okay", the insect replied, and then hesitated. "...but... I can't see anything... where's the bag?"

Bulbasaur winced. "Where's Marty?"

The trainer was still lost in his own vocal thoughts. "Why did I think... I could..."

The female sighed. "You... on the ground... the human's on... your left... about eight of your body lengths. The bag... two lengths behind him."

Bulbasaur blinked a few times. "You can see him? Well, then... uh... could you repeat that one more time?"

"...never mind. Just... go where I say..."

* * *

After three minutes of trying to follow her directions in the dark, interrupted occasionally by Marty's rambling, Bulbasaur finally stumbled upon the bag.

"I can't see which ones are potions", he said. He lifted one with a vine and raised it higher. "Is this a..."

"...I can't tell..." the female said. "...just... grab a ball... and throw it at me..."

"We aren't..." Bulbasaur started.

"...don't argue. You beat me... you need my help... just take me... don't act like you don't want to..."

Beedrill's voice was confused. "Really? You want to join us?"

Her voice was growing impatient. "...it doesn't matter... just do it."

Bulbasaur sighed, managed to find a ball-like object inside Marty's bag, and threw it toward the voice with his vines. He could hear the sound of it opening, rolling slightly on the ground, and then coming to a stop with a high-pitched mechanical beep.

"That's... that makes three of us now, right?" Beedrill asked. "But... isn't he supposed to be the one throwing the balls?"

"...if we ever get out of here..." Marty mumbled.

"Does it matter?" Bulbasaur asked. "Let's just... uh... where did it land?"

It took them two minutes to find the Pokéball again. Throwing it again was a simple task.

"...took you long enough..." the female voice began.

"We can't exactly see in here", Bulbasaur grumbled.

"I noticed", she replied in a slightly amused voice. "In that case... let's get you out of here... you with the wings... come here..."

* * *

He had no idea how long it had taken them, but Bulbasaur was thankful for the rays of sunlight as soon as he saw them.

Marty had been walking behind him, arm bound by his vines, and he had yet to improve his disposition from earlier. He had done his best to lead him, though, as he followed the sound of Beedrill's movements.

Now that light was shining on them again, he could finally see what the other two Pokémon had been doing. Beedrill was flying normally enough, he could tell. The real oddity was the creature on his back.

The creature was slightly smaller than Beedrill, blue in color, with two large wings instead of arms. Most of its body was still covered by bruises, but it was managing to hold onto the larger insect.

Once the group was out of the cave, the insect turned around to face the others. Now Bulbasaur could see the face of the new group member. And it was... different from what he had been expecting. For one thing, it didn't have any eyes to speak of. Just a large mouth and oversized ears on the top of its head. He had to wonder how it managed to see in the dark like that.

"...are we in the light?" it asked, proving itself to be the owner of the female voice. "If we are... get the potion..."

Bulbasaur went for the bag, only to stop with a gesture from Marty. Quietly, he reached into the bag himself, pulled out a bottle, and began to administer it to the injured Pokémon.

She took a deep breath, sighed in comfort, and began to speak at a more normal pace again. "Just so you know, I can't tell what you have in those bottles." She tested her wings and began to lift off the ground. "Anyway, congratulations on your successful escape. You got out and you got me. Now what?"

Bulbasaur turned to look at Marty for an answer. He didn't seem to notice. He was staring at the new member of the group in confusion, giving very little sign that he had any idea what she was. This wasn't normal for him. Usually, he would be acting automatically, pulling out his Pokédex and...

_...the object striking the floor loudly... the loss of light... Marty's subsequent ranting..._

...he was no longer carrying one, was he?

Bulbasaur stared in silence for a few seconds. Marty's confused expression didn't change. It slowly became apparent to the Pokémon that the device had been very important to Marty. He had used it whenever he met a new Pokémon, or tried to figure out their moves and strategies, or even... when he was deciding where to go next...

Without it... and without his memories of his life before the accident...

No. He was not going to let this stop Marty. Not now. They would just have to manage.

"He said there's a town on this side", he said to the other Pokémon. "Let's head there first."

* * *

Marty sat outside the store, Bulbasaur in his arms. His expression was just as frustrated as before.

"No Pokédex", he grumbled. "They won't get another one for a week." He looked at Bulbasaur. "Maybe... we should take a break and wait?"

Bulbasaur shook his head. No. They couldn't. They didn't have that kind of time to spare.

"But..." Marty sighed. "What else can I do? I mean... where do we go from here? Who are we supposed to fight? And... just what is that bat thing, anyway?"

He had a point, Bulbasaur thought. But there had to be another solution. Not _everyone_ they had met was holding a Pokédex. Maybe they didn't need such things after all. They would just have to...

He vine whipped around his trainer's arm again.

"What now?" Marty asked, standing up. He had long since gotten used to being led around like that. Without a word, Bulbasaur took him back into the shop.

* * *

"This... should work", Marty said, looking up from his new map. "Okay, it says there's a gym here. Are you feeling good enough to go in, or should we..."

"Not yet", Bulbasaur said to get his attention, and then tapped at the Pokéballs on Marty's belt with his vines. He understood immediately, tossing them to the ground and releasing their inhabitants.

"What's going on?" Beedrill asked immediately. "I was just about to..."

"Guys, please listen to me", Bulbasaur said. "I think we can still do this, but I'm going to need your help."

The bat nodded immediately. "Go ahead. What do you need from me?"

The grass Pokémon smiled. "First, he needs to..."

"Um", Beedrill interrupted. "I've been meaning to ask. Why are you so... calm about this? I thought _I_ got used to being trained fast, but..."

"It's not worth arguing", she replied. "Trainers catch us for a reason. Why make it difficult?"

"...okay..."

"Let's start with the basics", Bulbasaur said. "What kind of Pokémon are you? What type are you?"

"Trainers call us Zubats. We... what do you mean, type?"

"Every Pokémon has a type", Bulbasaur explained. "I'm what they call 'grass', and Beedrill's a bug. It has something to do with how much different attacks hurt us. So... what are you?"

"How should I know? I've never battled before."

"What do you mean?" Beedrill asked. "You attacked us when we..."

"That was different. We were trying to force you to leave. Honestly, I don't know anything about my attacks, other than how to do them."

"Okay, then. Let's do it that way", Bulbasaur suggested. "I want you two to battle."

"Fine", Zubat decided.

"What?" Beedrill said in surprise. "I can't fight her!"

"You can do this." Bulbasaur turned his head to look at Marty. "It's for his good. How is he supposed to train her if he doesn't even know how she fights?"

"You want me to show him my attacks, then." She nodded. "Very well."

* * *

"You didn't have to _hurt_ me", Beedrill said quietly. As he spoke, Marty continued to administer potion to the shuddering insect.

"I did", Zubat replied casually. "If I didn't bite you as hard as I could, he wouldn't have noticed that it stunned you long enough for me to attack you again."

"You'll be fine", Bulbasaur told him in as soothing a voice as he could muster. "And next time, I'll make myself the target."

"Did it work?" she asked. "Did he pay attention?"

Marty had been watching the match, yes, but he didn't look like he had been expecting all three Pokémon to look at him, as if they were ready for him to do something...

"Uh... if you're done practicing, are we ready to fight?"

"Is that a good sign?" Zubat asked.

"It's a sign", Bulbasaur answered immediately. "Just like all the others. We'll just have to figure out what it means as we go."

Before she could ask for more details, Beedrill supplied them. As the group headed toward the town's official gym, he explained everything that he knew about Marty and Bulbasaur. How they treated each other, the things that had been happening to both of them, and just how little time they had left to share. Bulbasaur decided to listen instead of joining in the conversation. If nothing else, this gave him a chance to understand exactly how the others felt about their journey.

"You care for him, don't you?"

He looked up to see the bat facing him directly. He couldn't call it a stare; she didn't seem to have eyes, after all. "He saved my life", he said quietly. "And... I'm not sure I would have a reason to live if not for him." He smiled as best as he could. "That's why... I'm glad you're here to help us with this, especially now.

"I don't know how well we'll do... but let's at least try our hardest."

* * *

Marty and the three Pokémon were led down a hallway to the match area.

"So... who are we fighting?" Beedrill asked. "And how should we do this?"

"This place looks like it was built to hold water and whatever Pokémon live in it", Zubat pointed out. "I would be surprised if we weren't expected to fight such things."

"Water-type, then." Bulbasaur paused to think. "None of us use fire or rocks. I get the feeling that being sprayed with water isn't going to be very painful to me." He looked at the other two. "Does water keep you from flying?"

"I don't know", Zubat answered. "I can't imagine it being good for flying insects, though."

"So I'll go last", Beedrill nodded.

Bulbasaur sighed. "We're leaving that decision up to Marty, remember?"

The group finally came to a large open area surrounded by water. The floor vaguely resembled the one Bulbasaur had seen back at the previous gym. The other trainer was considerably less imposing, though. And female. A brown star-looking creature floated next to her.

"You must be the challenger." As Marty nodded, she continued. "The match will be two-on-two", she said to the group. "Which two will you be using?"

Marty must have come to the same conclusion as his Pokémon, because his immediate reaction was to call Beedrill back to his Pokéball. "...these two... I guess. Uh... you, bat, you start."

Bulbasaur blinked a few times as Zubat flew out to face the other trainer's... Pokémon. That was another one of the major problems with not having a Pokédex, he thought. Trainers always sounded more professional when they knew the names of the Pokémon they met.

"Staryu", the woman said, "start off with your Water Gun!"

Well, he now knew its name, at least.

"Fly out of the way!" Marty called. "Then use your... uh... screamy thing!"

Zubat understood well enough. She managed to barely avoid the jet of water headed in her direction, and then made a loud high-pitched noise in the direction of the Staryu. He couldn't imagine a better name for it off the top of his head, but he had seen how it caused Beedrill to lose control of himself and swing in directions other than that of Zubat.

"Tackle, now!"

It didn't seem to work. The Staryu spun directly at Zubat and struck her with a great deal of speed. She fell toward the water, but managed to bring herself up into a swoop and regain her altitude.

"Okay... that didn't work... just bite it!"

She swooped in and attempted to bite the starfish. It ducked out of the way, then began to build up momentum for another tackle as she headed past.

As it closed in, she suddenly screamed harshly and charged back. When the two collided, it looked like Zubat took the brunt of the collision, yet the Staryu was still shaking from the effect.

She paused slightly. "Wait. Was that against the rules? Was I supposed to be commanded first?"

Marty didn't seem to think so. "Good counterattack! Uh... drain it, quickly!"

This time, she didn't hesitate. She seized the creature in her fangs in a manner that looked like she was draining its very blood. Beedrill had told them earlier that it didn't hurt quite as bad as the bite marks looked, but still...

Staryu eventually broke free and pushed her off. Bulbasaur couldn't tell how effective that move had been, but she was flying more steadily now.

"We've almost got it!" Marty shouted. "Now, do a..."

He didn't finish, as his words were interrupted by a coughing fit. Bulbasaur sighed. Zubat waited as patiently as she could manage.

"Tackle, fast!"

The Staryu spun in again, faster than before. It was almost as though its earlier tackles were designed to be slower than the best possible speed, so that the opponent would be caught off guard. At least, it was one theory.

It didn't work. Zubat dodged it as if she was expecting it, and then turned, swooped and bit the starfish as hard as she could. The two lost altitude, and she finally released it with her fangs on the ground.

It tried to lift again, but failed.

"Good try there, Staryu", the girl sighed. "Return." And with a well-thrown Pokéball, it was removed from the battlefield.

Zubat turned to face her partner, and visibly smiled. "Heh... I think I do a better job controlling the battle when he isn't telegraphing all of my moves."

Bulbasaur would have agreed with her good humor, if not for the fact that Marty was still coughing. He usually recovered faster than this...

"You want to take over for a second? I need to rest my wings."

Bulbasaur nodded and looked at Marty for confirmation. He was met with more coughing.

"Starmie, your turn", the girl shouted as she threw the other Pokéball. The emerging Pokémon was similar to the previous one, but larger and bluer in color. Also, more visible points. Perhaps it was an evolution. He wouldn't be surprised.

He looked at Marty again. Still coughing.

And suddenly he wasn't standing on the ground. As he looked up, he saw Zubat carrying him unsteadily. "It's not that difficult", she said impatiently. "I go out, and you go in. It doesn't matter if he doesn't order it, does it?"

As she released him upon the battlefield, he turned to look at Marty. He was still coughing, but he was looking at them both. He nodded quickly, then coughed again.

"Okay", he said to her. "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it", she said as she took off again. "Just remember. You're the one who battles."

He turned to look at his opponent. This... Starmie was larger up close. Larger than him, probably. Pointier, too. At least those points weren't poisonous, he considered.

"Bubble Beam, fast!"

And already he was finding himself at a disadvantage. The Starmie floated above him, outside of his jumping range, littering the battlefield with its bubbles. Touching them was a bad idea, he knew. And yet... he couldn't seem to avoid them all. He was starting to feel the pain, and realizing that maybe not all water was good for him...

"_cough_ Vine _cough_", Marty offered.

It was a sound first option, he decided. He extended his vine whips and hoped that they were long enough to hit Starmie. They were, but only barely. It took the hit and flew backwards out of range, visibly hurt.

Next came the water gun. He barely ducked it by lying flat on the ground. He stood and waited for the next order.

None came.

Very well, he thought. Let's do this Zubat's way. He charged toward the Starmie, closing the distance. As he ran, he let out a loud growl. Not nearly as intimidating as anything Zubat had done earlier, but maybe this would work to his advantage.

He was promptly sprayed by another jet of water for his trouble. He slid backward and eventually came to a stop. While he had yet to be severely injured, he was starting to feel weary. Perhaps this would be the time to use his Leech Seeds and recover, as soon as...

Starmie came flying toward him. He prepared his vine whips to intercept, only to watch in surprise as it passed over him completely without slowing. He looked toward the other trainer, only to find that she had left her position and was also running across the battlefield.

Slowly, he turned around.

Zubat was perched on the ground, staring at Marty. So was Starmie. Particularly odd, he thought, given that neither of them had...

...Marty was lying face down on the ground.

"What's going on?" he shouted, heading in his direction. "Marty? Are you okay?"

No response.

He started to nudge him with his whips. "What happened? Please get up! _Marty!_"

_**Never let that lonely capture you  
**__**Always know that I'm here for you**_


	4. Steadfast

Bulbasaur was growing tired of these kinds of rooms.

From his chair, he had an excellent view of Marty as he rested on the bed the nurses had provided him. There wasn't any equipment hooked up to him this time. He didn't know why not.

"Has he been doing this for a while?" Zubat asked from atop one of the bedposts.

Bulbasaur nodded slowly. "It's never been as bad as this time. I don't know why." He winced slightly. "It's probably the poison."

"I don't think so", she argued. "His body isn't wasting away."

"What about his..." He tried to remember the term some of the nurses used earlier. "...respiratory system?"

"I've never heard of it." She looked down at Marty again. "Let's face it. We can't help him."

Bulbasaur shook his head. "I can't help his health. That doesn't mean I can't..."

He was interrupted by the approach of one of the nurses. "Well... sir... how are you feeling now?"

"His name is Marty", the grass Pokémon muttered.

"...uh... okay, I guess", Marty answered. "Why am I in here?"

"You passed out", the nurse answered. "Fortunately, we've figured out the cause." Without any further hesitation, she held up a clear plastic container that had been filled with a small amount of orange liquid.

Bulbasaur gaped.

"Pokémon antidote", she explained. "Specially designed by Pokémon scientists to take advantage of the typical Pokémon digestive system to eliminate the effects of toxins in their bodies." She shook her head. "It's _not_ designed for human consumption."

Marty stared at the liquid. "Oh."

She held up a picture of what appeared to be a human skeleton. "This is the pharynx", she said, pointing at one of the areas between the head and chest. "When you swallowed the antidote, it formed a layer of coating upon the..."

"You have to be kidding me!" Bulbasaur shouted. "You mean... the _antidote_ did this? Not the poison?"

Zubat looked at him with a hint of surprise. "You didn't give it to him, did you?"

"I... couldn't think of any other solution. I mean..." He gestured with one foot. "...he was _poisoned_."

"...removed it while you were asleep", the nurse finished, having not let the Pokémon interrupt her. "Your trachea and esophagus have been cleared as well. You're fortunate we found the problem before it completely blocked off your lungs."

"Okay..." Marty eventually said. "What does that mean?"

"It means you're going to be okay." There was a hint of a smile on her face, even though her eyes continued to show concern. "As long as you don't try drinking anything else from the Pokémart."

Marty nodded slightly.

"We'll be ready to release you in an hour. Until then, I just want you to relax, okay?" As Marty nodded again, she turned and walked out the door.

For a few moments, the room was quiet.

"I almost killed him", Bulbasaur sighed to himself. "I mean, cut his life even shorter. How was I supposed to know..."

"You made a mistake", Zubat replied. "The best thing you can do is learn from it."

"Is that enough?" Bulbasaur stared at his trainer with concern. "One mistake was all it took for him."

"Maybe so. But _you're_ not dying, are you?"

"Is this the right room?"

As the room's three occupants watched, the door opened. The woman from the gym entered quietly, followed seconds later by her Starmie. "There you are! How are you feeling, kid?"

"I... guess they say I'll be okay", Marty replied.

"His name's _still_ Marty", Bulbasaur grumbled.

"That's good to hear." Her eyes shifted upward slightly before she started again. "Listen... about our match... uh... I know you really wanted to get that badge, but... uh..."

"The badge?" Marty asked.

"...you know, your Pokémon put up a good fight and all, but... uh... I'm supposed to be awarding these to the trainers, you know. And... well... you were spending half the match coughing and all... you kinda left them hanging out there... so... uh... I can't really call it your win... don't take it the wrong way." She smiled. "You certainly raised them to be strong Pokémon, though. Tell you what. Stop by when you're out and I'll be happy to give you a rematch whenever you want. I'm sure you'll do fine!"

Marty stared at her blankly. She noticed. "Uh... sorry. I don't mean to be disturbing you. Just... come back and see me later, okay?" She gave him a wink as she walked out the door.

"...uh... and who are you?"

She turned around. "Oh, right. I didn't give you my name, did I? Well..."

The Starmie flew up in front of her face, crystal gleaming, with a few pointed gestures in Marty's direction. There was very little indication that she knew what it was trying to say, but she nodded. "You want to stay here with his Pokémon for a bit?" She shrugged. "Okay. Don't be long, though."

Seconds later, she had left the room, leaving all introductions unfinished.

Zubat tilted her head. "Odd girl. She was nice, though."

The Starmie floated over Marty's bed and hovered for a few moments. If its crystal was an eye, it could almost be said to be gazing at him. A scratchy voice was produced from no visible means. "He's _not_ okay, is he?"

Bulbasaur sighed. "No", he admitted. "He was poisoned. He doesn't have much time left."

"I'm not referring to his health." Its crystal glowed lightly. "You must have noticed his memory problem."

This Pokémon was perceptive, Bulbasaur considered. "He lost his memory, too. He can't seem to recall anything from more than a few days back."

The Starmie turned to face him. "That's all?"

"I think..." Bulbasaur hesitated, reconsidering what the water Pokémon was saying. "Maybe not. I think... maybe his attention has been lapsing lately. He talks about doing things and forgets to do them. Things like that."

"Are you _sure_ that's all?" The Starmie turned to face Zubat's direction. "If I'm reading him right, he doesn't have any memory of _the match he just fought!"_

"You can't be serious!" Bulbasaur exclaimed. "How can you even tell?"

"It isn't difficult. I'm a trained psychic."

* * *

Zubat could no longer perceive Marty's head from her position. The Starmie had taken up position directly above him, shining some kind of light from its crystal upon him as he slept.

She flapped over to alight upon the top of Bulbasaur's chair. "Honestly, I thought it was supposed to be a water type. It fought like one..."

Bulbasaur didn't turn to look at her. He was too busy staring at his master with concern. "I'm not sure. Maybe we can be multiple types at once. Two or three, or maybe more?"

"Two", the Starmie answered offhandedly.

"I wouldn't know", Zubat said. "So what exactly are you doing?"

"Don't distract me. Be patient."

"Tell us", Bulbasaur growled. "If you are doing anything to hurt him..."

It didn't answer. He sighed and sprawled out on the chair's seat, trying to make himself more comfortable as he waited.

"Even if this works", Zubat noted, "it won't be enough, will it? A month from now..."

"_I know!_" Bulbasaur didn't rise from his position or face her, but he was visibly angry. "You don't have to remind me!"

"What will you do when his time comes?"

"I... haven't figured it out..." His voice became depressed. "You and Beedrill go wherever you want, and I... don't know where I can go."

"You haven't planned things out, have you?"

"Why did any of this have to happen? I don't know... sometimes I think maybe he and I should have stayed with his mother after all..."

"His mother..." There was a hint of wistfulness in her voice, and then it was gone. "What is she like?"

"I've barely met her. He said goodbye, and we were off. I don't think she even knows where he's gone."

"So why would _you_ think about staying with her?"

Before he could come up with a response to the question, Starmie spoke up. "I've done what I can. I don't think anything else I can manage will help him."

"And what was that?" Bulbasaur asked suspiciously.

"I believe I've stopped his memory from decaying further. For the moment, if nothing else." The Pokémon turned to face the other two. "By the time the deterioration becomes a problem, his memory won't be your biggest concern anyway."

Bulbasaur tried to take comfort in this. "So... he'll still be normal for a few weeks?"

"No." The Starmie tilted downward slightly. "You have a bigger problem. His memory consolidation no longer works correctly."

The grass Pokémon stared at Marty blankly. "Consoli-what?"

"There are three types of memory: sensory, short-term, and long-term. When he sees something, that's sensory. When he retains it long enough to think about it, that's short-term. Long-term, he remembers it for the rest of his life." Bulbasaur was having trouble following this explanation, but he nodded nonetheless. "When you consolidate, you store short-term memory as long-term. He's having trouble with that step, and nothing I've done has been able to correct that."

"What does that mean for those of us who aren't psychics?" Zubat asked.

The Starmie paused briefly to come up with a response. "Unless there is a sufficient amount of rehearsal... that is, sensory memory reinforcing short-term... how can I put this... in short, without constant exposure to a possible memory, he'll forget it in about thirty seconds."

Bulbasaur winced and shook his head sadly. Zubat continued asking questions. "What will he be able to remember?"

"Aside from the thirty seconds and the rehearsal... any long-term memory he still has should be fine. Except... well... I believe his long-term memory is almost entirely stimulus-response now." At the lack of any evidence of understanding, the Starmie tried again. "He's not going to remember things unless something reminds him of them." It turned to look at Marty. "He can probably recognize you on sight. If you aren't there, though, he'll have a hard time thinking about you."

She nodded. "I think I understand."

"Is there anything we can do?" Bulbasaur asked impatiently. "Can this be fixed?"

"I doubt it." The Starmie gave him a direct look. "The best thing for him now is familiarity. Go with him to a place that he remembers and keep him company, and he may be able to find comfort."

"But... what about our journey?"

"He's confused enough as it is. Continued exposure to new things will only make it worse." Its voice became surprisingly forceful. "Disregard what she said earlier. Do _not_ challenge us to a rematch. He is in _no shape _to travel or earn badges, understand?"

Bulbasaur stared blankly at the other Pokémon. There was an uncomfortably long pause before Zubat answered for him. "I think he'll need some time to think about this."

* * *

"I am not giving up!" Bulbasaur protested adamantly. "All the way, or as far as we can go!"

Zubat turned around briefly to make sure that Marty was still walking after them. "Look at him. Can you honestly say that he has any hope of accomplishing anything else?"

He shook his head. "We were about to win a second badge! Who's to say we can't still get it? We can't stop until we're _certain_ we can go no further!"

"You heard the Starmie. He needs familiarity."

Bulbasaur stopped and turned to face her. "Have you considered what is familiar to him?" He sighed, and his voice became contemplative. "He can't go back home. He has no memory of it. The only memories he has are of being a Pokémon trainer. If he has spent enough time in any places to remember them, they are buildings devoted to Pokémon training. And if there's anyone he's known long enough to remember... it's _us_." He smiled. "He needs us, and he needs to be a trainer."

After a short pause, Zubat nodded slowly. "Even so... if he can't remember new things..."

"He can", he said. "All it takes is... what was that word? Rehearsal? If it's the only way he can learn, then it's the way we'll use! All he has to do is _keep trying!" _He thought about this more deeply. "And to do that, he needs a reason to take the first step, and enough reason to keep taking them..."

They had reached the door of the building. Marty slowly pushed it open, and the three were once again bathed in sunlight.

Bulbasaur took in the sights in front of him. The streets of the town extended in several directions. People walked along these streets, some carrying Pokémon, some with Pokéballs, and some alone. Some were headed to the various buildings, some were entering or leaving the town, and some remained in one place for the moment. Everyone, doing their own thing, and occasionally meeting others along the way. This town was livelier than it had been the previous day, and everyone in the group noticed.

But it was Marty who spoke, slowly and unsurely. "...where am I... why am I here... I don't know why..."

Bulbasaur got the distinct impression that Zubat's expression would have been a glare in his direction, if only she had eyes. He looked at the town again, trying to get his bearings, and then looked up at Marty.

Marty was already returning the look, eyes filled with curiosity. "...maybe... you do?"

* * *

"And _that's_ why we're going to keep going."

"You're serious", Zubat said flatly. "You're not going to let him _not_ be a trainer."

Beedrill was still trying to catch up with the conversation, having been released from his Pokéball only a few minutes prior. "So... wait. He forgot how to battle _again?_"

"Not exactly." Bulbasaur looked up at his trainer's blank expression. "He can't remember how to do it unless he keeps doing it. So he's just going to need to keep doing it." He turned to look at Zubat again. "I think that's what Starmie said, anyway. Did I get any of that wrong?"

"It... sounds accurate", she said unsurely. "It still doesn't sound _right_, though."

"It's what he wants", he said defensively. "It's what he always wanted. We just have to remind him. That's all."

"How?" Beedrill flew closer to Bulbasaur. "He can't train... unless he trains first? How can that even work?"

Bulbasaur smiled.

* * *

The Rattata quietly scampered through the high grass at the side of the road, sniffing around in an effort to locate its next meal.

He wasn't the only one. At the first sign of a shadow, he darted deeper into the grass and crouched down, trying to avoid a fight. The Spearow responsible for this intrusion circled around, swooped lower and tried to take a closer look at its last known position.

Zubat dove into it from the side, using her outstretched wing as the point of collision.

"If that wasn't enough", Bulbasaur called from the path, "then give it a bite!"

He looked up at Marty. He was staring intently at the battle that was unfolding in front of him, but it was hard to tell if any of this was coming back to him. If nothing else, he seemed to realize that the Zubat in the battle was the one with whom he had been traveling, and thus was hoping for her success.

"Will this work?" Beedrill asked.

Bulbasaur's eyes didn't leave Zubat as she sank her fangs into the bird. "I hope so." He smiled. "It's the best way. If Marty won't be able to start a battle... then _we _will."

"He looks more like he's watching."

"Give him time. He'll understand the details again eventually. He has to."

The battle had come to an end, leaving Zubat uninjured and victorious. She returned quickly to their side. "Do we really need to pick fights like this?"

"Why not? Other trainers do it." Bulbasaur nodded sincerely. "This is exactly the same thing as Pokémon training. The only difference is that he's not telling us how to do it." He smiled in her direction. "It was your idea, wasn't it? Follow the rules, but act on our own?"

"If you say so", she sighed. "I'm not going to argue anymore. Just... if he gets any worse, he's your responsibility. Understood?"

He nodded sincerely. "Abandoning him is the last thing I intend to do."

* * *

The road they had traveled led in the direction of the sunrise. Bulbasaur had chosen their route out of town randomly, and it was becoming clear over time that they didn't actually know which way they were going.

"He has a map, right?" Beedrill asked.

"It won't work", Bulbasaur admitted. "I can't read. Can you?"

"Uh... no. I never learned anything like that." He pointed a stinger in Zubat's direction. "What about her?"

Zubat moved closer to the others. "Read?"

Bulbasaur tapped at Marty's bag with a vine. Marty took it off and opened it immediately. The grass Pokémon started digging through it quickly, finding some relief in the knowledge that his trainer hadn't gotten any worse at understanding the intent of his gestures. Finally he brought out the map and unfolded it using his claws.

"Okay", he said. "Can you make any sense of this?"

Zubat nodded. "It's thin, and appears to have been folded."

Bulbasaur blinked. "I meant the markings. Can you figure out what they mean?"

"What markings? I can only make out the folds."

"I guess not. I guess these lines are supposed to show..."

"Wait a minute", Beedrill interrupted. He moved closer to Zubat's face. "Can you see me?"

"You're hovering almost directly in front of me, slightly above and to the right, waving your right stinger in front of my mouth, if that's what you mean." She tilted her head for a moment, and then faced him again. "It's easier to fly when you're not in my way. Please move."

"Sorry." He moved. "I could have sworn..."

"I can't make any sense of this", Bulbasaur grumbled, folding up the map again. "We should just keep moving." He tried to grasp the map well enough with his vines to lift it back into the bag. Marty was quick to help him.

"...maybe you can't see colors..."

"I don't know that word", she answered. "Would you mind being quiet for..."

Beedrill nodded and kept his buzzing to a minimum. Behind him, Bulbasaur and Marty had finished closing the bag. "Okay", the Pokémon said. "Let's..."

"No", Zubat said in a near-whisper. "We're being watched."

Beedrill looked around. Nothing, aside from the wind lightly blowing some of the tall grass. "I don't see anything."

"I can hear it. To the..."

She didn't get a chance to finish, as the source of the noise chose that moment to reveal its presence from behind a tree. Indeed, a creature like this one wouldn't have had any luck hiding in the tall grass. It resembled one of the purple and yellow snakes that the group had passed or defeated as they journeyed along this path. Except the others weren't quite so... bulky...

The snake brought itself into a coil directly in their path. This did not reduce its ability to loom over Marty. Its mouth opened slowly, revealing fangs.

Marty could do little more than return its eye contact fearfully. Even with his various mental issues, he still knew a threat when he saw it. Bulbasaur slowly extended his vines and wrapped them around Marty's wrist, trying not to make any sudden moves.

The snake noticed. Ignoring the flying Pokémon to either side, it lowered its head to a level where it could eye Bulbasaur closely.

"Battle me", it said in a deep hiss.

Bulbasaur immediately dashed back the way they came, pulling on Marty's arm in the process. Marty didn't have a chance to run behind him, as the snake was too fast, slithering around the two and cutting off their retreat. Its expression didn't change as it gazed upon the grass Pokémon again, this time from ground level.

"Battle me or I eat you."

There was no doubt in Bulbasaur's mind now that it would have no problem fulfilling its threat. Then again, he had to wonder why it would bother to fight at all. He tested his options. "If we battle you, will you _not_ eat us?"

"Trainers need Pokémon."

He hoped that was a yes. "Uh... guys..." he called hesitantly, "I think... we're going to..." A deep breath. "...battle it." He tried his hardest to not be nervous in the presence of the reptile. It wasn't working. "Uh... who's starting?"

Less than two seconds later, Zubat swooped in and caught the snake in the back with her wing. It grunted in pain, but it maintained its upright stance. Bulbasaur took this as his cue to back away and stay out of the fight until it was appropriate.

The snake turned an angry eye toward Marty, and then craned around to face the two flying Pokémon. "You were not called."

"Does it matter?" Zubat asked. "I'm first."

The snake nodded slightly, and then turned its head to give Beedrill a menacing look. This was enough for the young insect to back away. With some satisfaction visible on its face, it once again faced the bat, and its eyes began to glow. Zubat didn't seem to notice, aside from adjusting her trajectory to seize its body with her fangs.

A second later, it had coiled itself around in a manner that allowed it to return the favor with its own fangs. She cried out in pain, and the action forced her jaws to release their grip. With some struggling of the wings, she freed herself from its mouth, but she was considerably worse off than her opponent.

She was not yet defeated, though. She once again ascended into the sky, considering her next move.

The snake screeched at her.

Bulbasaur was familiar with this kind of strategy; after all, Zubat had done similar things several times before. If she made enough noise or was frightening enough, the opponent would be too intimidated to fight or defend correctly. But this was somehow different. Maybe not audibly, but he certainly wasn't expecting it to affect her like this.

She started flying around in random directions, almost ramming into the snake along the way. "Where is everyone?" she called out in a frightened voice. "I can't tell where you are! Someone take my place, fast!"

Bulbasaur looked behind him. Marty was covering his head, probably because Zubat had just flown over him. In another direction, Beedrill's expression was confused, as if he didn't know if he should have been helping her or not.

It looked like it was up to him, then. With little hesitation, he struck the snake with his vines.

The victim barely flinched, but turned to eye him angrily. "It is not your turn."

The grass Pokémon fought all of his urges to look away from the giant reptile. "She called for a switch. I am switching with her."

The snake was visibly unimpressed. "You cannot." It craned its head to look at Marty. "It is _his_ order."

Several thoughts went through Bulbasaur's mind. Was Marty in any state of mind to be able to make this kind of decision? Were his attempts to refamiliarize his master with the process going against the rules laid out by other Pokémon trainers? Would this hurt their chances of entering the Pokémon League? And why was a wild Pokémon so familiar with these policies?

"You're right", he eventually admitted. "I acted out of turn. I'm sorry."

Without warning, the snake opened its mouth and spat a stream of liquid at him. He was too slow to dodge. The liquid stung and seemed to have a mild corrosive effect, but it was not forceful enough to knock him down or hinder his abilities. "A penalty", it said with a hint of a smile on its face, and then returned its attention to Zubat.

She was starting to regain her bearings, as was apparent when she made a dive for the snake. It ducked low to the ground to avoid her attack, before suddenly leaping into the air in a backward arc in a surprising show of agility. As it came down again, its tail whipped out and struck the bat, and suddenly she found herself wrapped in its coils as it landed.

"Fight it!" Bulbasaur shouted.

"You can do it!" Beedrill added from his position.

Zubat found it difficult to comply. She bit at its flesh, which compelled it to tighten around her body. She tried to frighten it, but it would not flinch. As the other three watched, the coils continued to grip her body, and she began to scream out in severe pain.

Bulbasaur couldn't take it anymore. "Let her go!" he shouted. "She needs to switch out!"

The snake looked at the human. "Does he agree?" It tightened around her again to punctuate its comment.

"He..." Beedrill started to say.

"You cannot." The snake smiled widely, revealing its fangs. "She is bound. She cannot switch until she is freed." Several seconds later, it relaxed its coils and slithered away from her, leaving her body upon the ground. "You may switch now."

Bulbasaur ran up to her body and nudged it. She didn't move. While she still exhibited symptoms of life, she was clearly unconscious and unable to battle. He gave the snake an angry look.

It didn't seem to notice. "Recall her. She needs rest." It was still watching the human intently.

Bulbasaur growled angrily and charged toward the snake. It noticed, turned its head slightly toward the grass Pokémon and screeched loudly. This was enough to stop him in his tracks in fear.

"Recall her or the battle ends."

He briefly considered this to be a sound alternative to finishing the fight, until he noticed that the snake's mouth was open, drooling in anticipation. That promptly ended any thoughts along those lines. Instead, he headed in the direction of his trainer.

Marty's expression was still confused and fearful, and he had yet to make any motion for a Pokéball.

"We have to recall her!" Beedrill shouted. "We can't let her be..." He gulped audibly.

Bulbasaur nodded slowly and surrendered himself to the obvious option. He extended his vines and...

...in a second, the snake was towering over him. "Do not attack."

"This isn't..." Bulbasaur started to explain before his voice cracked in fear. Without another word, he slowly moved the whip in the direction of his trainer, slowly enough that the snake didn't make any sudden moves, and tapped lightly against one of the Pokéballs on Marty's belt. If this didn't work, he thought...

It worked. Marty removed the Pokéball and looked at it thoughtfully. Then he cast it into the middle of the area, and Zubat's body was recalled into the device. Soon it was back in Marty's hand, and she was safe.

The snake stared silently at the two for a moment, confusion apparent in its eyes. Finally it spoke. "Next opponent."

Bulbasaur could only return the gaze. He considered his options. If he was the next one to fight...

The snake made an odd expression with its mouth.

Beedrill started to move closer from behind, his eyes upon Bulbasaur questioningly.

Bulbasaur nodded imperceptibly. He had one shot at this. He raised his voice suddenly. "Beedrill, use..."

The snake immediately turned its head and opened its mouth, spitting the energy it had been stockpiling at the bee behind it. Beedrill, who had been paying too much attention to Bulbasaur's instructions, took the attack head-on and was knocked to the ground, twitching in pain.

The adversary turned its gaze to Bulbasaur again. "No more tricks." It shook its head. "Recall him and fight me. Get recalled and he fights. Your choice." Its head lowered to glare at him. "Only one fighter."

The decision was easy for Bulbasaur. That one attack had almost completely laid Beedrill flat. Once again making no sudden movements, he tapped Beedrill's Pokéball. Marty obliged, more quickly than before.

Bulbasaur sighed. He wasn't going to be able to win this, was he?

Before he could decide on his next attack, his view was suddenly replaced by darkness. A calming darkness. If he didn't know better, he'd say he had been recalled into his own Pokéball.

...wait. What was Marty doing? Did he come to the same conclusion, and decide to flee? Was that the right thing to do? Was that even _allowed?_ What would the snake...

...and there was the snake before him again. Its expression was completely bewildered as it stared at the human. Bulbasaur looked around...

...Zubat was lying on the ground, and she was still unconscious.

The snake glared at him again. "What is he doing?"

Suddenly another Pokéball landed beside the two, and Zubat was once again recalled. The snake turned its head in surprise at the sudden flash...

Bulbasaur decided that enough was enough. He tackled the snake as hard as he could.

The snake fell down, but rose quickly. "You..." it started to say, only to be interrupted as another Pokéball landed near it, releasing a still-weak Beedrill.

Bulbasaur turned his head to look at Marty. He was holding the other two Pokéballs in his hands, and his expression was that of frustration and desperation. The third Pokéball returned to his arms, and he started making the motions of throwing one of them again.

Before he could figure out what was going on, he found himself surrounded by a large purple tail as it wrapped around him tightly. Above him, the snake's expression was pure anger, and this was supported by the sudden pressure that tightened around Bulbasaur, causing him to wince.

A Pokéball struck the snake in the head.

"No!" The snake was yelling now. "You cannot be recalled!" It tightened even more.

Bulbasaur did his best to ignore the pain as he tried everything he could think of. Striking his captor with his vines, growling at it loudly, and even releasing some kind of mist from the plant bulb on his back. What kind of mist, he couldn't be sure, but it didn't have any visible effect on the large reptile.

Another Pokéball landed near the two, and Beedrill was recalled. He hadn't even had a chance to do anything, Bulbasaur realized...

"This is not a battle!" the snake roared in its deep hiss. "This is a farce!" And to punctuate its statement, it plunged its jaws into Bulbasaur's back. The pain was excruciating, and only ended when Bulbasaur drifted into unconsciousness...

* * *

...darkness...

...comforting darkness... taking his mind off the pain...

...he had felt something like this once before, on the day when he first met Marty...

...after he had lost...

* * *

"You're okay!"

Bulbasaur opened his eyes again to meet the large red ones belonging to his insect companion. "What happened?" he asked, trying to reorient himself.

Beedrill turned his head to look to the side. "I don't know. I went in and out of my ball a few times, and then that snake was gone and I was the only one there."

Bulbasaur followed his gaze to find Marty, who was continuing to eye a couple of Pokéballs with confusion. Around him, the room appeared to be similar to the Pokémon centers he had visited before. "What were you doing?" he muttered to himself.

Marty dropped one of the Pokéballs, and the emerging light took the form of Zubat. Her mouth was bent downward into a close approximation of a frown. "That went poorly", she stated bluntly.

"I think... we need to work on our switching", Bulbasaur concluded. "Among other things. That snake might have been right. Marty's the one who's supposed to be signaling us."

Zubat looked at the human as well. "Are you sure?"

"There's a reason why he didn't get a second badge."

She paused briefly, and then nodded. "Fine. If you think you can get him to do it right..." She looked around. "This is a center, right? Where are we?"

Beedrill supplied the answer quickly. "Uh... you were both hurt, and he didn't know where he was going, so I flew around until I saw one of these places, and then I had him follow me." He turned his head a few times. "I've never seen this place, so I guess I didn't go the wrong way. But... I kinda lost the path a few times."

Bulbasaur nodded and smiled. "Good work, then. Now, if we can figure out what..."

There was the sound of an opening Pokéball behind them. He turned in surprise. Marty's hands were now empty, suggesting that the opened device on the ground in front of him had been the other one in his hands...

And then all he saw was purple, with a yellow underbelly.

_"What. Was. That?"_ The oversized snake was looming over them again, pure fury visible in its eyes. "Who do you think you are?"

Bulbasaur was too shocked to say anything. So was Beedrill. Zubat, however, managed to get a few words out. "He... captured you?"

_"No!" _It looked around itself frantically before returning its gaze to the smaller Pokémon. "The battle was _over! _You were helpless! You lost! I won! _Why am I here?"_

Bulbasaur was starting to get a pretty good idea of the reason. Marty had been throwing Pokéballs out at random. Was he confused, desperate, or trying to hurt the snake? Was there any way to tell? The important thing was that... he could have thrown an empty one, and if the snake had been hurt enough...

"Wait", Beedrill finally said. "So... you're one of us now?"

The snake gave him an incredulous look. "_No!_ I am _not! _He is not my master! I will not obey!"

The bee's expression became even more confused. "Isn't there some rule that..."

"The _rules?_" In less than a second, the snake had successfully used its body to surround the other three from all sides. "They are broken! All of them! You ignored your trainer! You teamed up on me! You threw Pokéballs at me! You captured me after I won! I won! You did not win! You _cheated!_"

"...no..." Bulbasaur closed his eyes and shook his head. He had to face the truth. They hadn't won the battle fairly. "Believe me, I don't _want_ to break the rules. I'm not like that... I'm trying to do it right... but... things keep happening..."

"I should eat you all! Right here! Right now! Say one reason why..."

"Uh..." Marty interjected quietly. "If you're all okay now... uh... can we go eat?"

Six eyes and an eyeless face turned to look at the human. His expression was surprisingly calm given the circumstances, and he was gesturing in the direction of the center's dining facility.

"...that is one reason", the snake conceded, its voice considerably less agitated than before.

Bulbasaur breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't the only one. "You were saying that he should tell us what to do?"

It appeared thoughtful for a moment. "I accept. We eat, and we talk."

* * *

Despite the argument that had been interrupted, the meal was not as tense as expected. Ekans, as he eventually introduced himself, had managed to wriggle himself into one side of the booth across from Marty, while the other three settled for standing on the table itself. The newcomer was a heavy eater, and everyone noticed. Bulbasaur considered that his actions would not have been entirely unreasonable if he had been on the brink of starvation.

"So do you go around eating every Pokémon you fight?"

Bulbasaur winced. Zubat could have asked that more tactfully, especially given the target.

Ekans didn't seem to mind. "I must eat to live."

"But... I thought you said something about the trainers..." Beedrill said.

"I did say." The snake looked at the human across the booth from him. "Trainers need Pokémon. I do not eat trained Pokémon. I feed on them."

"Umm..." the insect responded. "Isn't that the same thing?"

"No, it..." Ekans stumbled to explain himself. "Is that the right word? I do not eat them, I battle them, they lose, and the victory makes me strong?"

Zubat looked up at him. "That's not what it means." She paused. "But if that's your goal, I guess it makes sense."

Bulbasaur was lost in thought. We are predators, he reminded himself. Is there truly a difference between eating Pokémon and battling them? Aside from the fact that those who are beaten in battle tend to survive? This Pokémon doesn't seem to see one...

"Is he a trainer?"

Bulbasaur was snapped out of his thoughts to see the snake staring at him inquisitively. "...yes", he answered quickly.

"Is he?" The snake's eyes narrowed. "He did not order you."

"It's hard to explain." Bulbasaur turned to glance at Marty. "When I met him, he..."

"He used to be a trainer", Zubat interrupted. "Right now, he can't even live his own..."

"Don't say that!" Bulbasaur shouted. "He'll get better! He has to!"

"How? By making us do all the work?"

"I told you! Rehearsal!"

Beedrill shook his head and sighed. "I hate it when they do this." Ekans nodded slightly in understanding.

"If that's supposed to work, then why can't he even throw a Pokéball correctly?"

"Stop assuming he can't learn how!"

"Not in less than a month! When he dies, all that effort is going to waste!"

"I thought you said you weren't going to argue about this!"

"That was when a giant hungry snake wasn't thinking of eating us!" She gestured in his direction with a wing. "I'm not going to lie to his face! If _he's_ a trainer, then _I'm_..."

"_Stop._"

Ekans did not appear to be angry, but his voice was fierce and drowned out the argument easily. The two arguing Pokémon followed his instructions immediately, turning their heads to face him. In a quieter voice, he continued. "You say he will die."

"It'll be a month from now", Beedrill responded.

"Less than a month", Bulbasaur corrected him.

"If you ask me, he's already gone", Zubat muttered quietly.

"A month at most." The snake took another mouthful of his food, swallowed, and continued. "A slow death. Poison?"

Bulbasaur nodded, and then stopped. "How did you guess?"

He didn't answer the question. "He does not order you. Why do you follow?"

"He's my trainer. He means everything to me. And... we promised to stay together."

The snake nodded. "The others?"

Beedrill was having a hard time starting, so Zubat spoke first. "They captured me. I'm just doing my duty."

"...they stung him... he keeps getting worse... I... I have to make it up to him..."

"...you did not..." Ekans began saying to himself, before cutting himself off and starting again. "I understand. You have reason to follow." He took another bite. "I do not."

"You said that a few times", the bee said in a suspicious tone. "But... you never say _how_. How can you get caught and then choose to ignore him and leave?" He raised a stinger in the direction of the others. "I can't. She can't. How can _you_ do that?"

"I _cannot_ leave. I am not released." He leaned across the table. "Yet I need not obey. Your orders mean nothing. His orders do not come."

Zubat moved directly in front of his head. "If _I_ have to listen to..."

"It's too bad", Beedrill sighed. "We could use some help."

Bulbasaur looked at him, and his expression became depressed. "It's true", he admitted. "We're not doing very well. The last gym basically disqualified us. We're having trouble getting him to understand what we're doing. We're all new to being trained, and... honestly, with the things you've been saying, I think you know more about it than we do."

"_And_ you're strong enough to beat all of us by yourself", Beedrill finished.

The snake's mouth curled upward into a smile. "I battle often."

"I only _wish_ I could be that strong. But I..."

"They make a good argument", Zubat interjected. "Are you sure you aren't interested?"

Ekans's expression became more serious. "You say you need me", he replied. "Do I need you?" He paused for a second, and then finished. "Give me a reason to stay."

The other three looked at each other. Bulbasaur decided to be the one to answer. "I'm sorry. We can't. We don't have anything left to offer you."

As the snake gave him a curious look, he turned to the others and spoke quietly. "With that in mind, I think we need to release him. I don't know what he'll do, but... I think it's best that we don't make him mad again."

The other two nodded. He turned to face the snake again. "We've decided to..."

"I heard you", he interrupted. "Our talk is therefore over. Shall we go?"

With a small amount of effort, Bulbasaur managed to climb down from the table. Ekans slithered out gracefully, while the other two took wing above them. "I'm sorry for everything we did", Bulbasaur said as Ekans caught up to him.

"It is no trouble. You are releasing me." The reptile smiled. "Thank you for the meal. It is a fine apology."

"Hey", Zubat interrupted as she flapped down to Bulbasaur's level. "I hate to spoil the conversation, but aren't you forgetting something?"

Her attention was focused behind them. Bulbasaur turned his head to see the table where they had just been eating.

And Marty.

"Where are you going?" he asked with a confused expression.

* * *

"How could I do that to him?" Bulbasaur groused loudly to the bat flying next to him.

The group was headed toward the town's northern exit, the one Beedrill recognized on sight. With any luck, they could figure out a way to release Ekans, and then they could return here to rest for the night. The sun had already set, and the first signs of fatigue were showing.

"He's my trainer! He's the one who caught him! He should be the one who decides if we let him go or not! What was I..."

"It's an understandable mistake", Zubat replied. "Seeing how he hasn't made _any decisions at all _today..."

The grass Pokémon winced. "You really don't think he's going to get better, do you?"

"If he does, I'll take back my words." She shook her head. "Until he does, I can't say I have any hope for him."

"So how _do_ you get stronger?" Beedrill asked. "Do you train a lot? How many battles do you fight?"

"The number is less important", Ekans replied casually. "Make them count. Pick a fight you can win. Yet pick a fight that challenges..."

"Hey, wait up!"

Bulbasaur turned to look in the direction of the voice. Another young human was walking quickly toward the group. His expression was particularly cheerful, as was his voice. "Marty! I thought I recognized you! How've you been doing?"

Marty appeared to be visibly confused. He glanced downward at Bulbasaur, then back at the other human. "I... uh..."

"I haven't seen you since Pallet! You've been training, right?" The kid looked at the various Pokémon that had come to a stop next to him. "And these must be your catches, huh? Out for a walk?"

Marty gazed down at them, and then nodded. "I... guess so... yeah, they're mine... I mean, they came here with me."

"Cool", the other human said. "Hey, I've got time. How about a match? Four on four?"

Bulbasaur once again noticed his trainer's eyes on him. Almost imperceptibly, he nodded to him. This seemed to be enough for Marty. "Uh... sure... they can fight, yeah."

"So we're fighting again?" Beedrill asked in a near-whisper.

"Looks that way", Zubat answered quietly.

Bulbasaur thought about this. Was this going to end well for Marty? They hadn't worked out the problems from the previous fight yet.

...this other kid seemed to know him from somewhere...

...Pallet. That was Marty's home town, wasn't it?

"Great! Let's head over there. I can't wait to see if you've improved any!"

"...uh... can I ask you something?" Marty finally managed as they walked.

"Sure. Go ahead."

"Who are you?"

Bulbasaur winced to himself. The other kid's eyes widened. "You don't... wait... you _are_ Marty, right?"

Marty paused for a second. "I... guess I could be... I've heard the name before..."

"You don't have to act smart", the other kid said in a less friendly tone. "If you don't recognize me, just say it."

"...I'm not really sure... things happened... it's all kinda a blur..."

"Huh", the kid said with a grin. "I'll just have to make sure you never forget me again." He took one of the Pokéballs from his belt and cast it forward. "Machop, go!"

The ball opened, releasing energy that reshaped itself into the form of a small yet muscular gray Pokémon. Marty looked at it blankly for a while, and then turned to face his own Pokémon. The other three stared back quietly.

Bulbasaur tried his hardest to resist the urge to make the first move. He didn't want to prove Zubat right. Marty was going to be a trainer. And he was going to have to prove it... by doing it. This was his chance...

"...is anyone going to fight?" Marty mumbled to himself. "...uh... you, maybe?"

He was pointing at Ekans.

Ekans turned his head toward the others in confusion. "Why am I not released?"

Bulbasaur looked at him, and he slowly began to smile. "The trainer gives the orders. He wants you to fight. Get in there."

"Why? He is not my trainer!"

"Aren't you? I think he still has your Pokéball."

"This is not acceptable." Ekans shook his head. "I am not fighting."

"He said the fight was going to be four on four", Zubat chimed in. "We can't have four on our side if you don't fight, can we?"

"You are testing..."

"Please?" Beedrill's eyes stared at the snake eagerly.

Ekans once again looked between the other three, then at Marty, and his opponent, and the Machop that was watching him with interest.

"You have guts", he stated simply, and then moved to Marty's side. "Very well", he conceded. "A demonstration."

"Thank you", Marty said quietly with a smile.

"Let's make this a good fight", the Machop said with a grin.

"Be careful", the other kid warned his Pokémon. "He's a poison type."

Bulbasaur's expression went blank. He hadn't thought about asking those kinds of questions earlier. "Is that true?" he asked the other two under his breath.

"I still don't know anything about these types", Zubat said offhandedly. "I don't doubt that he might be poisonous, though."

Beedrill, on the other hand, didn't say anything. He was staring at his stingers again...

Bulbasaur shook his head slowly, returning his gaze to the impromptu battlefield. "It doesn't really matter."

"You know how to start!" the kid shouted. Machop nodded slightly and charged toward the snake. As Ekans prepared to weave out of the way of his attack, the fighter ducked low and delivered a firm kick to his lower coils.

The reptile winced in pain, but did not lose his balance. His gaze fell upon the smaller fighter, who was well within range for his counterattack.

"Uh... bite him?" Marty offered from behind.

Ekans hesitated for a second, and then made his decision. He lunged at the Machop and sank his fangs into its flesh. As Bulbasaur watched, he could see the symptoms of poison appearing on the fighter's features.

"...I'm not sure I would have bitten it like _that_", he grumbled.

Ekans released his opponent, allowing him to fall to the ground. "It is a brawler", he said. "Mere bites do not work. They withstand."

"Get up! Keep fighting!" The other boy shook his fist at the two battlers.

As soon as Machop unsteadily returned to its feet, it was greeted with a deluge of acid on his head. It dropped to one knee in pain, looking up fearfully at the snake that towered over it.

"Not good! Get out of there!" The opponent reached for his Pokéball.

Before he could manage anything, Ekans wrapped his body around the weak Machop and began to squeeze. "Your battle is over", the snake hissed in a surprisingly quiet and almost soothing manner. "You want to rest. Allow yourself to succumb."

It was hard to tell if the Machop heard him or not, but it lost consciousness anyway. Ekans allowed it to fall upon the ground roughly, and then moved away, watching the other trainer carefully.

"...good strategy..." the boy admitted, recalling the unconscious brawler and sending out his next choice. It appeared to be a small bird, armed with a vegetable of some sort. Bulbasaur wasn't sure what to make of the new opponent.

He should have seen the next move coming. After all, Ekans had done it to Beedrill already.

A powerful energy blast flew from the reptile's mouth and struck the bird a scant moment after it emerged. It was knocked to its trainer's side, where it slowly attempted to rise, using its edible armament as support. The other kid knelt down next to it, reaching for his Pokéball while muttering something under his breath.

"You still stand. Not bad." Ekans grinned at the bird and started storing something in his mouth again.

"Farfetch'd, _now!_"

The bird spun to face its opponent and threw an amount of sand in his face. Ekans was caught off guard and started thrashing around violently. The kid quickly recalled the now-named bird and sent out a third Pokémon. This one was...

...it bore a great deal of resemblance to Zubat. It was larger, though, with visible eyes and much larger wings. It started circling above Ekans, preparing to attack.

Ekans swallowed audibly.

Somehow, this caused his body to glow slightly, and in mere seconds, his bruises were no longer visible. Bulbasaur was surprised by this effect. Rather than return his attention to his newest opponent, Ekans opted to slither in the direction of his teammates.

"Running?" the other boy called. "That counts as an elimination, you know!"

The snake didn't seem to care. "I have done my share", he said calmly to the others as he reached their position. "Earn your win."

Marty looked at him briefly, possibly considering the other boy's words. His hand started to lift up, possibly to suggest the next...

"I want to fight him."

As Bulbasaur watched, Zubat flew up to Marty's arm, perched on it briefly, and pointed her wing at the larger bat. Marty nodded quickly, and she was off to face her counterpart.

"Golbat, start with a wing..." the other boy started, and then stopped in confusion. The two bats were flying upward, circling each other, screeching words that not even the Pokémon could understand at this distance. At this range, neither of them would be able to receive orders.

"What are they doing?" Beedrill asked.

"I cannot see clearly", Ekans reminded them. "Do they fight? Do they speak? Do they fall in love?"

The Golbat swooped around and struck Zubat with his wing.

"...definitely fighting", Bulbasaur concluded.

Zubat returned the favor with her own wing, and the battle was on. It was hard to tell what was going on from ground level, though. The swoops and bites were obvious, but any intimidation-based offense was completely inaudible.

Eventually the fight reached its resolution. With a final strike from the Golbat, Zubat started to fall toward the ground, showing no signs of controlled flight or consciousness.

Beedrill gasped. Bulbasaur did the same. "Quick!" he shouted. "We need to..."

...no. He wasn't going to take any chances. Even if it proved her right, this was for her own good. He immediately tapped the appropriate Pokéball on Marty's belt with a vine.

Marty reacted immediately, pulling it out and enlarging it in his hand. With a degree of accuracy Bulbasaur hadn't actually seen before, he actually managed to recall her form on the first try before she struck the ground. The Pokémon breathed a sigh of relief, while the Golbat returned to his trainer's side.

Bulbasaur was about to retract his vine whips when he realized that one of them had gotten caught. Looking up, he saw Marty holding a vine and smiling weakly in his direction. "Go ahead..." he said quietly. The grass Pokémon nodded and charged forward to face his opponent.

Golbat immediately bit him. Bulbasaur did his best to ignore the pain, shook him off quickly and whipped him as rapidly as he could with his vines. They didn't seem to be particularly effective hits, but Golbat was starting to show fatigue from the earlier battle. The bat screeched at him, but Bulbasaur didn't flinch and instead took advantage of his opponent's lower altitude by tackling him. It connected cleanly, and the bat lost consciousness.

"Good work", the other kid said, recalling him to his Pokéball, and then pondered for a second. With a quick shrug, he threw out the second Pokéball again, releasing the Pokémon that had been introduced as Farfetch'd.

Bulbasaur decided to take advantage of the bird's disorientation by spraying a fine mist into the air from the bulb on his back. Indeed, it was effective, and before the bird could land a single move, it had fallen asleep.

"...okay..." Marty could be heard. "Uh... use... um..."

Bulbasaur couldn't afford to wait for an order and give up his opening. He launched a few seeds at his opponent, gave them a few seconds to latch onto the sleeping bird's body and sprout, and then tackled it again. This was enough to finish the weakened opponent, and the seeds came loose before its inevitable recall.

Bulbasaur allowed them to latch onto his own body and release their gathered energy as the other trainer reached for the fourth and final Pokéball. "Charmeleon, go!" The Pokéball opened, releasing his final opponent.

It appeared to be a deep red lizard with a burning tail. It gazed at him with malice. And then... a hint of recognition...?

Realization struck Bulbasaur. Could this be...?

...the trainer had said he was from Pallet... and that he knew Marty...

...what was his name again? It... started with a B, maybe...

With renewed strength gathered from the leech seeds, Bulbasaur charged directly at the lizard. This was not a mere tackle, though. He did not brace for impact, and instead collided with him with enough force that even he felt the pain afterward. If he was fortunate, this would be enough to finish him.

It was not. The lizard regained its stance, and before Bulbasaur could react, he had been set on fire.

The pain was excruciating. He tried to extinguish it with a few quick whips, but it didn't help. With no other option, he turned toward Marty, hoping for...

...no. Marty would not be recalling him. He had always directly instructed Marty to act along those lines. If he was on the battlefield, his only hope of escaping the battle would be to leave the field, eliminating himself from the fight...

...only one fighter would be left... Beedrill...

...Beedrill would need all the help he could get...

...thus, the best solution would be...

Bulbasaur charged toward the lizard again and tackled him. This was the soundest strategy, he thought. If he was going to collapse, he was going to do enough damage that Beedrill would be able to finish the fight. He would just have to bear the pain of the inevitable...

* * *

...darkness... again with the calming darkness... soothing the pain...

* * *

...followed by light.

Bulbasaur took a moment to look around. Beedrill was standing on the ground near him, with Ekans a bit further away. Marty was at his side, a small smile on his face, as he held a wounded Zubat.

...they weren't in a Pokémon Center. They were still outdoors... which meant...

"...we won?"

"We sure did!" Beedrill replied happily. "All it took was a couple of moves and the fight was over!"

"...I missed it..." Bulbasaur couldn't bring himself to be unhappy, though. "...wait. I was recalled? How? Did Marty..."

"You were in battle", Ekans responded slowly. "You needed to return. I used your method." He gestured with his tail to punctuate his statement.

The grass Pokémon sighed at this. He had gotten his hopes up. Marty didn't remember how to handle that aspect himself...

"You put up a great fight out there", the other boy said from behind him. He turned to watch the trainer as he held his injured Charmeleon close to his body...

...holding a vial of orange liquid up to his mouth...

...he could now see it, a large stinger wound on the lizard's upper chest...

He turned to stare at Beedrill in shock. "You _stung_ him? _With_ poison?"

"Well... yeah", the bee replied. "We needed to win, and he left himself open, so I..."

"He will be fine", Ekans noted. "They always are. We get used to it."

Bulbasaur forced himself to nod. They had to be right. He had said so himself. And yet... the sight of the injury still bugged him...

"You did a good job raising your Pokémon", the boy said, interrupting Bulbasaur's thoughts. "We'll have to have another match soon."

Marty walked up to him slowly, with a bit of concern on his face. "...thank you... who are you, again?"

The boy frowned. "You're not playing, are you, Marty? You really... you should know me better than that!" He pointed at himself. "I'm Brandon, remember?"

"Brandon..." Marty repeated slowly.

"We live on the same street! We had a match just before we left! How could you forget?"

"...I... don't remember a lot of things..."

"Why? Is something wrong? You don't... this isn't one of those amnesia things, is it?"

"...I... don't know... my head hurts... all the time..."

The boy shook his head. "I can't imagine... no. You remember some things, right?"

Marty raised an eyebrow. "...what things?"

"It's kinda neat, how you're going through this, and yet you still remember the stuff that's important to you. Like... your training! You always told me you were going to the Pokémon League, and here you are, still working at it!"

Marty stared at him blankly. "...what's a Pokémon League?"

"Wait... you _don't_ remember? Then... but you're out here... training..." Brandon shook his head in frustration. "What _do_ you remember?"

Bulbasaur watched his trainer's eyes as they gazed at him and the others, before they set their sights on Brandon again. "...I don't really know... why I'm here... who I am..."

"Then... if you... wow... that's... _what's wrong?_" The other boy was having difficulty handling this. "Please! Tell me! If I can do anything to help..."

Marty didn't reply.

"Marty, please!"

"...Marty... I've heard that before..." He looked at the other boy. "Is that... your name?"

Brandon took a few steps backward. "You... you don't... you can't... _no!_ How could this happen?! Why can't you..."

Marty stared at him for a few seconds, taken aback by his sudden shouting. With little warning, he knelt down to the ground. "...I really can't... why..." he whispered.

Brandon tried to take a few breaths. "...we promised... we'd both make it to the League... and face each other..." His expression suddenly became serious. "No. I won't give up. No matter what happens to you, I'll make it to the League. I'll do it for both of us, okay?" He knelt down at Marty's side. "Please, go get help. You need it. I... I have to keep going.

"I'll... I'll never forget you, Marty... even if you do..." His eyes began to water. "You were always... my friend..."

Bulbasaur stared silently at the emotional outburst, trying his hardest not to break down himself.

"If it's any consolation", a voice said from his side, "_you_ have improved greatly."

He turned in surprise to see Brandon's Charmeleon looking at him. "Perhaps we will meet again, in battle or otherwise", the fire Pokémon added.

Brandon picked him up, and seconds later the pair was just a silhouette against the evening horizon.

"...I can't..."

Marty was pounding the ground with his fist angrily, tears streaming from his eyes. "Why can't I..."

Bulbasaur walked up to him, stretching out his vines to wrap around his master's arm. Marty looked up at him, and his expression softened slightly. "You... are still here..."

The grass Pokémon smiled.

Marty did not. He took a deep breath, which did nothing to stop the tears from rolling down his cheeks. "I have... something to say... come here... all of you... if you can understand me..."

Before Bulbasaur knew it, the other three were at his side. Ekans wore an expression of concern. Beedrill's eyes were moist, and he held Zubat in a manner that allowed her to listen, despite her injuries.

"...I... have no idea who I am... or where I am... or what I'm doing here... and I don't know if I ever will." A breath. "Mostly. Sometimes I think I know something... and I try to think about it... it ends up a blank... but it's just, like I _should_ know it... and it could come back... but it doesn't.

"Like you guys. You guys like fighting... it's pretty obvious... you keep doing it. And... I remember that. I don't know why... but I remember so little... and I still remember that. And then... I wonder if maybe, I had something to do with it... and I try to figure out if I can do it... and I keep failing. And then I wonder... why did I try in the first place?

"I look at you... you all seem so vaguely familiar... like I used to know you. I probably did. I probably cared for you, and you keep caring for me... it's like... I don't know, maybe... if I could remember..." He stared directly into Bulbasaur's eyes. "I get the impression... we've probably known each other my whole life..."

Bulbasaur managed a smile in Marty's direction. Marty tried to return it, with only partial success.

"Is that true?" Ekans asked quietly. "How long have they trained?"

Beedrill sighed. "As far as I know... less than a week."

Naturally, Marty didn't understand. "...but more than that... every time I try... and fail... and I think maybe I'm doing this wrong... and I shouldn't be doing this... you guys, you always come with me... and bring me back. And I'm... I'm beginning to wonder... if I'm living my own life... or if I'm living yours...

"And now I think about it, and I realize... whatever life I've lived... it's gone now."

He took several more deep breaths, and his tears began to dry up. "You guys are all I have... if I ever had you... and I can't stop thinking that I did. And... you actually seem to know... what you're doing, and why, and all... so... I just have to say, before I forget anything else..."

He took one last deep breath, and his voice became completely serious as he stared at the Pokémon around him. "My life is over. If I had a purpose... it's gone. So... the only thing left to do... is help find your purpose. You can still have one..." He managed a slight smile. "Wherever you go... I'll follow. Ask anything of me... I'll give it to you. As long as you lead the way... I'll be there with you.

"...my journey is over... I think I'll go on yours instead..."

All four Pokémon stared blankly at the human.

"...is he _serious?" _Ekans asked.

"I think he means it", Beedrill said.

"Does he understand what he says?"

Zubat didn't say anything. She didn't have to. Bulbasaur was already getting a distinct impression of the things she would be saying. _This is all your fault..._

"No! Don't think like that!" he protested loudly. "Please! This is supposed to be _**our **_journey!"

Marty didn't understand him. And perhaps, Bulbasaur began to fear, he never would...

_**Every time I'm around you try to leave  
**__**But I'll be standing in your way**_


	5. Optimal

Bulbasaur stared at the bowl of food in front of him.

It was essentially the same kind that he had received the previous evening. But after everything that had happened, it just didn't seem as appetizing now.

He had hoped that a good night's sleep would make him feel better. In many ways, it did. Marty no longer woke him up in the middle of the night with his coughing, nor was he fitful. As he had been lying on the bed next to his trainer in case something happened overnight, he was in the best position to appreciate the change.

And then the morning had come, and light had shone through the window, and Marty had woken up, and the next few minutes were devoted to the slow realization that he no longer had a reason to get out of bed. At least, unless the Pokémon had one.

Did they? Beedrill was too focused on keeping Marty company and making sure that his condition hadn't gotten any worse. Zubat had stood around in her usual fatalistic manner, waiting for someone to come to a decision so that she could go along with it, with or without complaining. And Ekans... Bulbasaur felt the need to apologize profusely to him once he realized that an entire night had gone by and he _still_ hadn't been released.

It was a good thing that everyone agreed that they wanted something to eat.

Marty's demeanor had changed drastically since the previous evening, as Bulbasaur had noticed when it came time to order. He hadn't spent several minutes staring at the menu, trying to figure out if anything written on it sounded familiar, and ultimately deciding to pick something at random and hoping that he would enjoy it.

Instead, he spent less than five seconds looking at the menu before he set it down and asked everyone if there was something he usually preferred. It wouldn't have been such a bad idea for someone with his memory difficulty, if not for the fact that none of the Pokémon could actually _read_. In the end, it was a random selection after all, but the decision had been made far more quickly.

Bulbasaur couldn't decide if this attitude adjustment made him happier or more miserable. Once again, it was just something he would have to deal with.

Zubat had almost already finished her meal. Beedrill was a slower eater, but remained at it steadily. Ekans was still the heaviest eater, although he was visibly taking his time now. This left him as the only one without an appetite.

"I have thoughts", Ekans said, finally breaking the silence.

The other three Pokémon turned to face him immediately. Now the center of attention, he continued. "He spoke last night. He gives up on his journey. He wishes to go on yours." His eyes darted from Pokémon to Pokémon. "Do you _have_ a journey?"

Bulbasaur sighed. "We were here for a reason. We all intended to help him get to the Pokémon League, I'm pretty sure."

"The Pokémon League." Ekans nodded. "That is a journey. Will you go on it?"

"I want to. More than anything else." The grass Pokémon shook his head. "But without him to guide us..."

"He said he'll come with us", Beedrill interrupted. "Why would that..."

"You don't understand", Zubat also interrupted. "His memory's practically gone. He's given up on leading us." She looked down at her now-empty bowl. "The truth is, none of us know _how_ to go to the Pokémon League."

"What?"

"She's right", Bulbasaur said. "I don't know where it is. I guess it's not the kind of place you can simply walk to..."

Zubat looked at him. "Does anyone even know what the Pokémon League _is_?"

He tried to think. He kept hearing those words, and everyone seemed so interested in it, but...

"No... no one ever described it when they brought it up."

"It is a tournament", Ekans explained. "One happens every year. Trainers who prove themselves enter. Their Pokémon battle. The winner is famous and respected."

Beedrill looked up at him suddenly. "How do you know that?"

The snake lowered his head and closed his eyes. "Many months ago... I was trained."

That explained a great deal, Bulbasaur thought. "But that means... why don't you have a trainer?"

"Do _not_ make me remember."

His voice had become darker, helping Bulbasaur come to a quick decision to change the subject. "So we need to prove ourselves." His eyes lit up. "The gyms?"

"It could be", Beedrill said. "Marty went straight for them."

It came back to Bulbasaur. He _had_ heard about this before, hadn't he? At least, _he_ had. Beedrill had been in a Pokéball at the time, and they hadn't met Zubat yet...

"We went into that gym to battle that guy's Pokémon, and he gave Marty a badge. And... he said we needed seven more."

"Most towns contain gyms", Ekans added. "This one does not."

Bulbasaur nodded slowly. "So we need to go from town to town and fight in any gyms we come across. Get... uh... that would be eight badges total, I think. And then..." he looked at the snake carefully, "would you know where we need to go after that?"

"I do not." He appeared thoughtful. "Someone else may know."

"There's still a problem", Zubat muttered. "Are we capable of winning more badges? We never got the second one."

"He received a badge", Ekans noted quietly. "He must have registered."

Bulbasaur nodded. "Knowing him, he probably did that long before I met him." He paused. "Do we need to go back?"

Zubat shook her head. "Have you forgotten? _He_ earns the badges, not us. How can we possibly get them if he's not willing to tell us what to do?"

Bulbasaur grumbled. She was right, of course. This league was designed for trainers, not their Pokémon. And he couldn't think of a way to get Marty to understand that...

"There is a second problem", Ekans said, snapping him out of his thoughts. "You are not strong enough."

Beedrill nodded. "It's true. You beat us easily. Too easily. We're not as strong as you."

The snake smiled briefly before returning to his serious look. "I am not your concern. You fought a trainer yesterday." He paused to check his bowl for any remaining food, and then continued. "Understand this. I helped you win. Three of you could not defeat three of them. He is your competition, and you have not won."

Bulbasaur thought about this, sighed and stared at his almost-full bowl of food again. He may have had a point. Certainly, he was a better judge of strength than anyone else. The others counted their blessings just for surviving that battle without serious injury...

At his side, Marty looked up suddenly from his own meal. "What is it?" he asked, before turning to see Ekans looking in his direction, eyes wide and hopeful, holding his empty bowl in his mouth.

He smiled slightly. "May we please have another bowl?" he called in the direction of the humans in charge of the dining facility. "Two more?" he corrected himself, eyeing the empty bowl in front of Zubat.

Shortly afterward, a woman arrived at the table with the requested bowls. Zubat seemed almost surprised by the second helping, but helped herself shortly afterward.

Once she had left, taking the two empty bowls with her, Ekans spoke again. "I have a proposal." He smiled briefly. "Stay here for the moment. I will train you."

"Huh?" Zubat responded immediately. "Why would you..."

"I have no reason to join with you", he reminded them. "Yet I can help. Your trainer and you need it. You must be better battlers. If not... your journey is wasted."

"You want to train us?" Beedrill asked eagerly. "You mean it? We can become as strong as you?"

"It will take some time", he responded. "The results will be worth the effort."

"Count me in!"

"I would like that", Zubat added.

They sounded almost... enthusiastic, Bulbasaur noticed. He expected that from Beedrill, but Zubat...

He turned to look at the snake. "Thank you for the offer... but we still have no way to repay you."

Ekans took another mouthful of food and swallowed it. "This is delicious."

The grass Pokémon blinked a few times. Seconds later, Zubat visibly realized what he meant. "As long as he stays with us, he gets to eat here", she explained. "Is that really enough for you?"

The snake looked at the other three Pokémon, then considered briefly. "I have only one other desire. Will you feed me?"

Bulbasaur blinked. "That's fine. We can arrange that." He paused. "But... do we have the time? Marty may not last much longer..."

"You have set your goal. He wants you to achieve it." Ekans smiled. "When he dies, what does he see last? Many failures? Or several successes?"

When he put it that way, Bulbasaur couldn't find a counterargument. "I think we all agree."

"It is decided. You stay, and we train. We prepare after our meal." He gave the grass Pokémon a concerned look. "You want to eat that. It is tasty and you need the energy."

Bulbasaur returned his eye contact. The snake's expression was genuine. Without further ado, he resumed eating his meal.

Maybe he was right. Maybe the best way to help Marty was to first help himself.

* * *

The Pokémart looked similar to the ones he had seen in earlier towns. Bulbasaur could only assume that they were owned and maintained by the same group of people, whoever they were.

"Good morning, sir!" The man at the counter beamed a smile at the still-silent Marty. "Fine Pokémon you've got there! Need to stock up on things before you head out?"

"Does he carry money?" Ekans asked the others.

"I'm... not sure", Marty said after a few seconds. "Let me check."

After a few minutes of admittedly forceful searching, the group finally found Marty's supply of funds in one of his pockets. This wasn't the kind of thing that a trainer should be forgetting, Bulbasaur thought bitterly to himself.

"This is a great amount", the snake observed. "Has he saved?"

The grass Pokémon sighed. "We kept what we earned, even after... he no longer remembered to buy things."

"We no longer suffer that problem." Ekans looked around the shelves, checking the various goods that filled them. "Let us prepare. Consider what is useful. Potions? Keep some with you, stock when you travel. We do not need to stock. We stay near here, and centers cost less.

"Repels? To train, we must battle. To avoid battle is useless. Unless you are in danger. We are not. One at most.

"Antidotes?"

Ekans once again turned his gaze to the group. Zubat was the only one who returned his eye contact. Bulbasaur was once again lost in depressing thoughts, and Beedrill had turned his head to look at him.

"...we have no use for them. Burn heals? We need those." He lowered his body flat against the ground until he was looking directly at Bulbasaur's face. "Do we not?" he asked with a hint of humor in his voice.

"You don't have to rub it in", Bulbasaur grumbled, no sign of happiness returning to his expression.

"Burns are painful. I know they are. Especially for grass like you. This is why we prepare." Ekans raised his head toward the others. "We all burn. We all freeze. We all get paralyzed." His line of sight turned toward the items. "We buy things to fix this. We treat our wounds."

Bulbasaur looked up to see the snake staring at him again from inches away. Completely unexpectedly, his tongue flicked out and brushed against his face. "We feel better", the snake finished.

Easy for him to say, he thought. He hadn't even come close to death.

* * *

In broad daylight, it was easier to get an impression of the town. It was quite a bit smaller than most of the cities that the group had previously visited. There was no gym, and the Pokémon Center and Pokémart were more humble and received less business. The only real landmark was the tall tower at the corner of town.

With Ekans at the front, the four Pokémon led their trainer to the outskirts of town. Bulbasaur could have sworn that he saw someone else traveling with the group just to his side, but by the time he turned his head to look, it was gone.

After traveling a fair distance from the city limits, the snake stopped and turned to face the others. "I have experience in training myself", he admitted. "I have never trained another. I do not know the best method." He paused briefly, and then nodded his head. "I will be patient. We start simple. Over time, your training develops. But first I must study you individually.

"We will organize it. I work with one of you. The others train freely. Later, we find battles. You fight and grow stronger. Then we eat, I feed, and we rest for the night. Do you accept this?"

The other three nodded.

"Very good. I focus on your inexperience first. Today, I work with the youngest."

All gazes fell immediately on Beedrill. "I think that's me", he said with a nod.

"Odd", Ekans said thoughtfully. "The youngest is the evolved one. Do all bugs evolve quickly?"

Bulbasaur had no response for this. Nor did anyone else. After a moment of silence, he continued. "It matters not. Tomorrow, I work with the plant. The bat will be third."

Beedrill blinked. "She's older than him? Really?"

Ekans gave him an odd look. "She has lived longer than I have."

* * *

"Is that true?"

While Ekans had taken Beedrill aside, Bulbasaur and Zubat had spent their time working on their accuracy. At the moment, they were taking a short break. Her wings simply couldn't take more than an hour of constant use, especially when being used to dart around as Bulbasaur attempted to whip and launch seeds at her.

Zubat turned her head to face him. "Is what true?"

"That you're older than us?" Bulbasaur smiled. "I've never asked you about yourself, have I?"

"It's true", she admitted. "I've lived in the caves for a long time. I've almost never left them before." She tested her wings a few times. "Honestly, I've rarely had to fly around this much."

"You look like you're enjoying it."

"You really think so?"

"Maybe not. Maybe I'm wrong." Bulbasaur thought about this for a moment. "But... it's just that you've been acting so much... _happier_ today."

"Yesterday wasn't a good day."

He nodded slowly. "So what happened with you and that other bat last night?"

"We talked", she said dismissively. "He asked about my trainer, I asked about his, I noticed how much stronger he's become, he gave me a direct demonstration..."

"Oh? You know him?"

"He's my child."

"That would explain it", he said. A second later, his eyes widened. "Wait. You're saying you're a _mother_?"

Zubat gave him a direct look. "I've _been_ a mother. _Repeatedly. _For _many years_."

The grass Pokémon's voice became quieter. "I didn't know. Really. You never said anything."

"I'm not one of the fighters", she said equally quietly. "I always stayed in the deeper caves. Other bats mated with me, I had their babies, and I raised them until they were ready to fly on their own."

She turned her head to the side slightly. "Our babies are very important to us. You have to understand that. We usually have the older Zubats guarding them." She sighed. "When attackers come, they defend us. They're the ones that get picked off if they lose. And when trainers come, most of them settle for catching one and then leave.

"So when your trainer disregarded them and almost made it into the nursery, we had to act fast."

Bulbasaur winced. "No. We weren't after your young. We didn't know where we were going."

"I know that now." She tested her wings a few more times. "We don't usually attack trainers. We don't want them to have a reason to strike back. But... the babies needed to be protected, so we tried to drive him off. Once you knocked me down and it became obvious how lost you were... I knew what I had to do.

"I let you capture me. That way you'd be able to leave, you wouldn't have a reason to come back, and our young would be spared."

Bulbasaur took a moment to quietly reflect. "I had no idea you felt that way about us", he finally said. "I'm sorry."

"You probably should have caught one of the others", she said. "But... this has already come to pass. You have me, and I know what my duty is."

"Are all wild Pokémon this loyal?" he asked.

"I don't know. I can only speak for Zubats. But we've gotten used to this over the years." She gestured with her wing. "Trainers capture us so they can train us. Once they have us... it just makes sense to give them what they want. If we keep them happy, they'll go on their way." The corners of her mouth fell. "It's better than the alternative."

This kind of thinking didn't appeal to Bulbasaur. He couldn't imagine what it would have been like to obey Marty if he didn't enjoy sharing his company.

"Do you like being trained?" he asked her.

"I'm still not sure", she answered casually. "But I'll be fair. It's starting to sound much better."

"In what way?"

"I've been in those caves a long time. I've never really fought before." She started flapping her wings, and soon she was off the ground again. "My child looked like he's come a long way, and it may have been good for him. Maybe it'll be the same for me."

She smiled downward at Bulbasaur. "Even better, we actually have a trainer now."

* * *

The rest of the afternoon was mostly uneventful, aside from the training.

Ekans came back with Beedrill after a few hours. Beedrill, to the snake's credit, looked a lot more confident than before. Bulbasaur wondered what had gone on between the two. It seemed he'd find out tomorrow.

The next focus of attention was Marty.

"You must fight alongside the others", the snake told Bulbasaur. "You must improve with them. For the duration, I will provide the signals." He brought himself into a coil, once again allowing him to tower over the human. "I should know your techniques."

"Techniques?"

"How much time have you ordered him?"

"Ordered?" Bulbasaur considered what Ekans was saying. "No. It's not like that. He's the trainer. He just... needed reminders of what to do, I guess."

Ekans shook his head. "You have fought. I have watched. He never commands you. He reacts." To punctuate his comment, he raised his tail and tapped Marty's belt with it.

The grass Pokémon closed his eyes. "It wasn't supposed to work that way. If he noticed the pattern, he would have..."

He stopped talking as soon as he realized that the area had gone completely silent. He opened his eyes to find himself wrapped in darkness. The usual kind. With a small amount of impatience, he lay down within his confines and waited for something else to happen.

Seconds later, he was back outside, and his scowl was once again visible to Ekans. "Why did you do that?" he immediately asked in an irate voice.

Ekans remained calm. "There is no reason", he said. "There is only a reaction."

"_What?_"

"He has no reason to recall you. He recalled you. Why?" He didn't give Bulbasaur any time to answer. "The same reason as always. He understands the signal."

It was impossible to argue otherwise, Bulbasaur finally decided. At least, not now. Marty _had_ tried to command them a few times yesterday, and it rarely achieved anything of consequence. In the end, he kept returning to the same method. He merely threw whatever Pokéball his trusty Pokémon indicated.

The most annoying thing about this? It worked _better_ that way. And discoveries like that may have helped him come to the decision to give up on thinking for himself...

His eyes shifted over to Marty, who remained at the snake's side. His expression was almost completely blank.

"This is _not_ bad", Ekans insisted. "We can benefit."

As the grass Pokémon looked at him again, the reptile smiled slightly. "There is a common phrase. Who are the best trainers? The trainers that understand their Pokémon.

"Trainers learn it. Their Pokémon hear it from them. I heard it, and I still believe it.

"To understand, he must first listen." His smile grew. "He wishes to listen to you. You have already completed one step."

"Will it be enough?" Bulbasaur considered. "It would be easier if I had more time."

"You do not. Use what you have." The snake slipped out of his coil and started wrapping his way up Marty's leg. Once he reached the human's waist level, he pressed the top of his head against his hand. Almost absent-mindedly, the boy began stroking the top of Ekans's head. After a few seconds of this, he wrapped around Marty's arm, using it as support to reach the side of his belt.

Using his snout, he nudged two of the Pokéballs. Marty noticed this, and while carefully balancing the snake on his arm, he removed them from his belt and threw them to the ground. Seconds later, Beedrill and Zubat emerged next to Bulbasaur. The grass Pokémon winced slightly; having focused on the conversation, he hadn't noticed that they had been recalled at any time.

Ekans rubbed his head against the human's side a few more times, and then turned to face the other three.

"You have a loyal trainer. He will obey you." His smile grew even more, revealing the tips of his fangs. "Command him."

* * *

"This doesn't feel right."

Beedrill turned his head to look at Bulbasaur. "What?"

Minutes earlier, the group had noticed that the sun was starting to set, and Ekans had taken that as their cue to head back into town and enjoy a large and richly-deserved meal. At the moment, he was trying to help Marty hold a conversation with the people running the Pokémon Center, while Zubat was outside, familiarizing herself with the town. Why she had to do that, he wasn't sure.

Not many trainers had passed their position that day, so the three trainees had found themselves battling the local fauna more often than not. It may have been a good idea, anyway. Ekans was still getting used to their fighting styles.

This left very little for Marty to do. The snake stayed at his side, naturally, but...

"Maybe it's just me", Bulbasaur speculated, "but it's hard to take orders from him."

"Ekans?" Beedrill looked in the snake's direction. His attention was still focused on Marty's attempt to reserve a room for more than one consecutive night. "He sounds like he knows what he's talking about. I don't mind listening to him."

Bulbasaur sighed. "He's not Marty. Maybe no one is, but..."

"...well, there's one thing..."

This brought the grass Pokémon out of his train of thought. It couldn't hurt to ask. "What's that? How did you two spend all that time, anyway?"

"I meant to ask you", the insect said unsurely. "We talked a lot about my stingers. And... well... I don't know who's right."

"Why? What did he say?"

"...a lot of it was about how to poison things..."

That would explain his unease, Bulbasaur thought. "Anything more specific?"

"...well... he said I'm not very strong yet, and while I have a few good moves... I guess he thinks I should poison them and fight them while they get weak. Something like that."

Bulbasaur tried not to let his face betray any emotion. "Do you agree with him?"

"I should. He says he's met a lot of Beedrills. And... I think I want to believe him, but... it's just, what's he's saying is kinda scary..."

He had tried to be close to Ekans so far, Bulbasaur thought. It was easy to tell that the bee looked up to him. Even more significantly, Ekans seemed to be much friendlier to him than the others. When he thought about why that was the case, he kept coming back to a theory. He wasn't certain that it was true, but it explained things far better than anything else, and the evidence kept piling up...

"I say you should listen to him", Bulbasaur finally said. "He knows you better than I do."

"Are you sure?" Beedrill asked. "But you said those things about the poison..."

"I did. I might have been wrong." The grass Pokémon frowned slightly. "You know how I feel about poison stings. I don't know if I'll ever be able to accept them. But... it's not right for me to stop you.

"After all... you're a poison type, aren't you? It's about time we accept that."

Beedrill nodded slowly. "So he told you, too."

"No. I figured it out myself." He gave the insect an attempt at a smile. "You'll be better off once you learn what that means for you. And... he's more than qualified to tell you that."

"So you don't mind?"

Bulbasaur looked up again to see Marty and Ekans heading in their direction. "There are far worse things for me to worry about than your stingers." He smiled a bit more genuinely this time. "I trust you with them."

* * *

Dinner was completed quickly. Conversation was kept to a relative minimum, aside from a few questions regarding the lodging. Everything was taken care of, Ekans argued. There was no danger of not having a place to sleep. He intended for everyone to wake up within an hour of sunrise the next day. As for when they slept, he said, that would depend on how long the next step took.

The snake led them out the doors of the Pokémon Center. Just outside, he turned to face them again. "It is time to feed."

The other three stared at him blankly. "You just ate", Bulbasaur said bluntly.

"That is not..." Ekans started, and his voice became uncertain again. "No. That is not the right word. She said that a day ago. I never learned another word."

Zubat thought back. "Yesterday, we were talking about..."

She stopped. In a far less confident voice, she finished. "...you want us to lose a battle to you."

Ekans nodded. The other two reacted in surprise. Beedrill visibly shuddered at the idea. "Why?"

"I have not fought. I must grow stronger. You must battle me." He smiled and bared his fangs. "All you at once. Fight hard. I wish to earn my win."

The other three looked at each other, and they simultaneously came to the same conclusion. They had not expected this, true, but Ekans had been expecting it. To him, it was part of their arrangement. And... given everything he had been doing for them, it was only fair.

Very well. They would provide.

At once, the three rushed at their opponent.

* * *

Bulbasaur found himself being pulled from his slumber. With a fair amount of regret, he opened his eyes.

Marty and the other three Pokémon were staring at him.

He took a moment to take in his surroundings. He was in a room of the Pokémon Center. Specifically, one that resembled...

...this was the room where trainers took their hurt Pokémon.

"Did we lose?" he asked. Beedrill and Zubat could only nod silently.

"It is expected", Ekans said. "We train again today. You continue to improve. Tonight, you are more of a challenge."

Bulbasaur nodded hesitantly, and then stopped. "Today? Is it..."

He turned and looked up at a nearby window. The morning sky was visible through the glass. "...I was out for the entire night?"

"I did not hold back."

"But... then where was Marty the whole time? Who took care of him?"

"You needed to recover. All of you needed it." The snake gave a hint of a smile from the corner of his mouth. "He slept in his room, and I joined him."

* * *

Breakfast did little to calm Bulbasaur's agitated mood.

It was hard for him to not show it. In the end, he didn't think he succeeded. This was further proven after Ekans reminded him that they would be working together that day and took him aside.

"You are upset."

"What stunt are you trying to pull?" Bulbasaur yelled at him. "If anything had happened to Marty, what would..."

"You are a starter."

His eye twitched. "Yes, I am! Don't change the subject!"

"It is easy to tell. You stay closest to the human. You act like you belong to him. You act like he belongs to you." The snake lay down next to the other Pokémon. "I have met many like you."

"_Someone_ needs to take care of him!"

"It is true." Ekans tilted his head slightly and straightened it again. "A question for you. One day you will leave and I will stay. Who will be the trainer, if your human will not?"

"I will. I've been doing it so far."

"Are you certain? You have decided?"

Bulbasaur looked at him with a confused expression. "Was it ever in question?"

Ekans lifted from the ground to an upright position. "We are therefore done. There is no need to train you."

There was a brief moment of silence. Bulbasaur stared at the other Pokémon. He did not return the look, instead preparing to head back toward the others.

"What? Why?"

"You have made your decision." Ekans turned his head just enough to face him again. "You are their trainer. We should focus our attention on them."

"Is that it?" he asked angrily. "You're giving up on me, just like that?"

"Give up? I do what we agreed to do. I train the battlers. They need my help."

"But what about me?"

"_What about you?_" The snake's voice was becoming impatient. "You will be their trainer! Why will you want to battle?"

"Why _wouldn't_ I want to?"

"Do you not understand?" Bulbasaur's angry gaze was met by Ekans as he turned around completely. He resisted the urge to look away. The other's eyes softened slightly, and he spoke again in a quieter voice. "No. You do not understand. It is clear now."

He moved back to the grass Pokémon's side. "The trainer cannot battle. He has duties that are not strategy. Someone must hold and use items. Someone must call back the others." His mouth twisted in concern. "Perhaps you will lose a battle. Someone must retreat.

"Two nights ago. Do you remember the fight?" He didn't wait for affirmation. "You called back the bat. You went in to fight. And you burned.

"You did not burn long. I was present. I called you back." The corner of his mouth dropped slightly. "We are fortunate that I forfeited. If I had lost? If I was unconscious? Who would have called you? The bee?"

"If he had to..." Bulbasaur started, but Ekans cut him off.

"Think of how you met me. Everyone fought me. I was caught. But you fell, and the bat fell. What if the bee fell? What would happen? Would your human find sanctuary? Would he be able to live? Would he starve?" He shook his head. "These should not be questions. Someone should know what to do. Someone should guide the group.

"This is a trainer. Trainers are useless if they lose fights. Trainers need to _not fight_."

"But I _want_ to fight!" Bulbasaur exclaimed.

This response did not change Ekans's temperament, but he still took a moment to consider the situation. "You do. Are you willing to be trained?"

"I've _been_ willing. Ever since I was born."

"I will train you. With a condition." The snake lowered his head until his eyes were completely blocking Bulbasaur's view. "You must behave like one who is trained.

"I train two other Pokémon. You are equal to them. You do not order them. Trainers do. I do.

"Trainers rely on Pokémon. You follow my instructions." He paused, rethinking something. "Understand. I can be lenient. I may make mistakes. If you wish to advise, do so. I may reconsider." His expression hardened again. "If I do not, you obey me.

"Trainers are responsible for Pokémon. I will not hurt you. Unless I am feeding." He smirked slightly. "I work to ensure your safety. In return, you trust me with it. I will order you. I will recall you. I will send you to battle. I will take you to the center. It is for your good. Never forget that.

"Trainers control their Pokémon. I will not be your trainer long. I _am_ your trainer _now_."

He rose to a coil. Was Bulbasaur imagining things, or was the other Pokémon towering over him even more than before?

"I must be a good trainer", he finished. "As long as I am here, I must be in control. I handle your possessions. Your money. Your items. Your Pokéballs." He tilted forward slightly to punctuate the final sentence. "And your human."

Bulbasaur started. "Marty? I am not giving him away!"

"You will be training. Battling. Resting. You must focus on these tasks. You cannot always watch over him." Ekans did not smile, but his eyes softened a fair amount. "While I am here, I will. If something happens, you will know."

"...what if he..."

"Why do you make this difficult? All I request is obedience and trust! The same things you freely give your human!"

"But you're _not_ Marty!"

There was a short period of silence. The snake took a few breaths to calm himself. "I am not. I will never be him." He gave a concerned look over Bulbasaur's shoulder, most likely in the human's direction. "You would prefer his training, correct?"

As Bulbasaur instinctively nodded, Ekans shook his head. "I wish he_ would _train you. But he does not. _That is why I am still here._"

He was, and he had been making an effort to help the others. Bulbasaur understood that. And yet... he still felt uneasy about the situation. Almost as though... he could not actually trust his new trainer. Why he felt this way, he wasn't sure. He had been pushy at times, but he had yet to do anything cruel or harmful. Aside from his payment...

"We have wasted time", Ekans said. "Let us at least try to begin."

"...I will try", Bulbasaur conceded, and then turned to look in Marty's direction. "Will you let him stay and watch?"

Ekans smiled. "I will not take that from you."

* * *

Despite what Beedrill had told him about his experience, Bulbasaur got the impression that Ekans had little experience with any other Pokémon of his species.

The training session had begun with a demonstration of his moves. Ekans watched carefully, and drew the conclusion that his best focus was on grass moves. As he explained, even though he possessed moves of other types, his basic fundamentals were the most effective in situations where an opponent was neither strong nor weak against them.

"I give an example", Ekans elaborated. "Poison types resist grass. Your vines are less effective against me. _But. _Your vines are strong. Stronger than vines from other types." He hesitated. "If they have them. I do not know.

"Vines are as strong as tackles. When you use them, they are stronger. When you fight me, they are equal again." His eyes lit up. "You may prefer to tackle me. Or take me down, if you handle the pain."

"If that will even work..." Bulbasaur muttered to himself.

"You do not believe me?"

He raised his eyes skeptically. "We don't really have any chance of defeating you, do we?"

The next few seconds went by so quickly and chaotically, he couldn't figure out what was happening until it was already over. His body was in a vertical position, tightly yet painlessly bound by the giant snake's coils. All he could see from here was Ekans's face, complete with the greatest display of anger he had ever seen from him.

Even more than when he had been captured, in fact.

"_**Never**__ say that again."_

Bulbasaur was strongly considering the possibility of never saying _anything_ again. All he could manage was a bewildered look at the moment.

Ekans closed his eyes, took a breath and loosened his coils slightly. "I am strong. I am aware of it. I enjoy it." His eyes opened again to give Bulbasaur a severe look. "I may not be easy to defeat. I will never be _impossible_."

"Keep working to improve. You _will_ improve. You will stand a chance." His head tilted slightly. "Three of you _should_ be able to beat me. It is a first goal."

"...if you think I can", Bulbasaur eventually agreed.

Ekans didn't react. The smaller Pokémon waited impatiently for a few seconds, and then raised his voice again. "...um... I can't move..."

"I did that... I should not..." the snake began to mutter under his breath, and then drifted off. As he remembered the current situation, he unwrapped himself from Bulbasaur and headed slowly in the direction of the town.

"I wish to take a break", he said in a louder voice. "Come with me."

* * *

Walking through town was once again uneventful. As it was nearing the middle of the day, there were a fair number of people in the streets. Some politely acknowledged Marty's presence as he curiously followed the two Pokémon.

"Are you feeling better yet?" Bulbasaur asked.

"I try not to anger", Ekans said in a softer hiss than usual. "I wish to not fail."

"Do you usually come here to calm down?"

"No. I do not like this place."

"Really?" Bulbasaur raised an eyelid. "And you've stayed here for the past two nights? With the food?"

"It is better indoors."

"Oh. Then why would you..."

"Do you see them? Around us?"

"The humans? What's wrong with..."

Ekans shook his head. "Not the humans." His voice lowered to a soft whisper. "Say nothing more. Notice the area around you. They are there. Do not look for them. They will hide."

After giving him a questioning look and receiving no response, Bulbasaur continued to follow him.

He was right. The grass Pokémon could feel it. Things were flitting about out of the corner of his eye. Shadows, perhaps. The more he thought about it, the more he suspected that he was being followed.

Ekans came to a stop outside the Pokémart. Slowly, he turned to face Marty. The human understood, moving past the Pokémon to open the door for them.

Once inside, the snake spoke again. "This town is haunted."

Bulbasaur had yet to find a reason to disagree. He nodded slowly. "What are they?"

"Ghost Pokémon." Ekans started slithering between the shelves, looking for something. "They live in the tower. At times they wander about. But they are _always_ here."

"Are they a threat?"

"I do not know. Many humans still live here. Fewer than other towns, I hear. Not everyone has fled."

Bulbasaur thought about this for a moment. "So as long as we stay out of their way, we have nothing to be afraid of?"

Ekans had come to a stop. "They _terrify_ me."

This was new. Bulbasaur moved to Ekans's side. "Why? Did they do something to you?"

"It is what I cannot do." He took a breath. "I cannot poison them. They feel little pain and show no weakness. I cannot spit at them. It passes through them. I cannot bind them. There is nothing to squeeze." He sighed. "Against one, I am nearly useless. And... they _know_ it."

"...so you can't win a battle against them."

"Not true." Ekans's eyes lit up. "I have one trick. I bite them. It hurts them _greatly_." He looked at various items on the shelf near his position. "I do not know why. I do not care. It is my advantage. Can you see colors?"

Bulbasaur blinked. That last question had come out of nowhere. "Yes."

"There are small bottles on the shelf. We will purchase three." He sighed. "I cannot grasp them. My tail is too large to point. We do not want them to break." He turned to face the grass Pokémon. "Point at them for me."

"Is that why you brought me here?" he asked.

"I wanted a break. I would buy these later. We save time." He looked back at the shelf. "One is yellow, like the bee. One is blue, like the bat. One..." He trailed off, turning his head slightly in Bulbasaur's direction. "What do you call your color?"

Bulbasaur stared back at him for a moment. "I've never called it anything. Why are we doing this?"

"Then I leave it to you. Find one to match you. Let the human take them. We will use them later."

It seemed like a needless task, but Bulbasaur obeyed. It was easier to find a yellow bottle than the others. For one thing, he was trying to remember which color matched Zubat's body and which matched her wings. As for himself... he wasn't sure, but he guessed the one he picked was a good match.

The two Pokémon followed Marty as he carried them to the front of the store. "They know about my bite", Ekans said.

It took Bulbasaur a second to remember the previous conversation. "The ghosts?"

"It makes battle easy for them. They watch for my bite. They dodge it. Without it, I do not win."

Bulbasaur nodded. "And that's why you try to stay away from them."

"I _will_ win." The snake's eyes moved past everyone in the building, and his mouth curled upward into a smile. "I train and become stronger. It helps. My bite is more strong now. One bite beats a ghost. I get lucky or get an opening. Then it is over and I win."

"Three jars of paint", the shopkeeper said. "Anything else?"

"So why are you still worried?" Bulbasaur asked.

"I have not finished training yet. I will learn more attacks. I hope they affect ghosts. And then I will be ready."

Ekans smiled at Bulbasaur again. "The same is true for you. You wish to defeat me? Train. You may yet succeed." His mood had visibly improved. "You have a chance to defeat me. Never think you do not. If you do not, you make one.

"I battle you again tonight. We will see if you improve."

Bulbasaur nodded at this. Hopefully what he was saying was true. Certainly, he had made it sound convincing.

...but...

He had to ask. "You keep saying that you trained yourself to be a better fighter, right?" The snake nodded immediately. "I thought you said trainers shouldn't battle."

If his reaction was any indication, Ekans had not been expecting this question. He smiled slightly from the corner of his mouth, and he averted his eyes to the side.

"You are correct. I should not. It is not safe. But I find a way." His eyes moved back to the other Pokémon, and he tried his hardest to keep a serious expression. It eventually worked. "We will go now."

As they traveled back, past the buildings and the people and the suspicious shadows, Bulbasaur began to think about Ekans's words. And as he did, he started to get an impression of the way he had used. After all, he had admitted it to Beedrill that first night.

_"Pick a fight you can win. Yet pick a fight that challenges..."_

_He wants us to improve_, he thought. _He wants us to be a challenge to him. But under no circumstances will he permit us to surpass him. He has only grown stronger by battling against those weaker than himself._

And they were giving him the opportunity to decide how they would fight.

There was a conclusion to be drawn from this. And the moment he had raised his suspicions, the snake had almost become violently angry. It was not a coincidence. He must have been onto something.

_As long as he is our trainer, we will never defeat him..._

* * *

He wished it was that simple.

They rejoined Beedrill and Zubat, and it was deemed late enough to move on to battling. This time, there was a healthier supply of incoming trainers, and they were only too eager to battle. Ekans stayed with Marty, signaling Pokéballs when it was time to switch. At times, he advised them on openings and weaknesses. And when there were lulls in the action, he was ready with any needed potions and suggestions for new strategies.

No matter what his motive was, Bulbasaur considered, he truly wanted them to improve. And when he thought about it that way, it was hard to despise him.

Once again, he was called forth from his Pokéball. He was not used to entering and exiting the device this rapidly, making it difficult to relax.

As he emerged, he came to the realization that there was not an opponent awaiting him after all. Ekans was looking through Marty's supply of items at the time. "Are we finished?" he asked the snake.

The snake looked up at him. "You have a decision to make. I wish to discuss it." He looked up and down the grass Pokémon's body. "You are making quick progress. Quicker than I expected." As Bulbasaur looked at him in a questioning manner, he clarified. "You will evolve soon."

This piqued his interest. "Really? What will it be like? Will..." He hesitated. "Is this going to keep me out of battle? Beedrill went through that."

"I do not know. I know few like you."

As Marty closed the bag, Ekans gestured to one of his Pokéballs. Without missing a beat, the human removed it and cast it to the ground, releasing Zubat. She looked around curiously. "Are we done?"

Ekans regarded her. "You should pay attention. This will happen to you in time." He turned to Bulbasaur again. "You may not wish to evolve yet."

Bulbasaur blinked. "Why? Won't that stop me from getting stronger?"

"For the moment." His expression became serious. "There is an advantage. Say you do not evolve. Say you are like me. You build up power. You do not release. You grow stronger. You learn new moves fast." He nodded. "Then you evolve. You are strong and have more moves. You have an advantage.

"You remain weak now. You are stronger later. It pays off."

Bulbasaur looked up at the snake with an expression of suspicion. "How long does it take?" he asked.

"As long as you want. It is your option. Consider it."

Was this part of his plan? He could not ignore the possibility. If he didn't evolve, he would indeed remain weak enough to be defeatable. But at the same time, if Ekans was to be believed, he would be much more capable in battle later. At the moment, he wouldn't be able to defeat him whether or not he _did_ evolve. Maybe it would be better to...

"How much have you studied about evolution?" Zubat asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"Not enough", Ekans admitted. "I learn from experience."

* * *

Bulbasaur was once again brought forth from his sanctuary. A large expanse of blurriness awaited him. Woozily, he lifted himself onto his feet.

It was a new morning, wasn't it? Yes, he remembered. Everyone had eaten, and everyone had fought Ekans again, and...

He was back in the Pokémon Center again, or at least a very blurry room with the same color scheme, and his wounds were healed. Yet, for some reason, he still felt... tired...

After almost half a minute, his vision focused and he regained his orientation. Ekans was coiled next to Marty, and they were... doing something to a Pokéball. From this angle, he couldn't tell what.

"Morning!" a high-pitched buzz sounded behind him.

Beedrill was in the room as well, it seemed. And he was a bit more upbeat than Bulbasaur's hearing would have liked.

"...ugh... I didn't sleep well..."

Ekans looked up at him with concern, and then headed over to his position. "Are you sick?" He gave him a once-over. "No. You are not. They would treat it. You must be..."

Bulbasaur could see the realization dawn on the snake's face. "You chose not to evolve yet?" In response to the grass Pokémon's weary nod, he nodded a bit more enthusiastically. "You resist the urge. It tires you at first. It will not last. You will feel better."

Satisfied that all was well, he returned to Marty's side and motioned for him to take the next Pokéball. At the human's gesture, Zubat emerged. As she rose from her own slumber, Ekans once again started to fiddle with her Pokéball.

"Is it morning?" she asked slightly tiredly. She looked at the human. "What are they doing?"

"I'm not sure", Bulbasaur said.

"They're marking the balls", Beedrill explained. "He says he wants to work on something later."

A few moments later, they were done. As the human replaced the Pokéballs on his belt, Ekans looked up at the group with a half-smile. "You fought well last night." The smile didn't last. "There are concerns. Our plans may change today. I will let you know."

As he watched the snake talk, Bulbasaur came up with a possible theory. While he did nothing to call attention to it, Ekans looked like he was in pain. He still sported a few minor bruises from when the three had actually landed some attacks on him, and they had not been treated in any manner. He wondered if this was intentional.

The smile returned. "For now, it is no matter. Let us eat. I work with the bat today, yes?"

* * *

Beedrill darted from place to place in the sky, hovering in just the right places to dodge the incoming leaves.

"Are you okay?" he asked the grass Pokémon below him. "You're missing me a lot."

"I don't know", Bulbasaur said wearily. "I don't think I've woken up completely yet." He looked up. "Did you feel this tired when you evolved?"

"Not really. When I was... Kakuna?... I couldn't do much. But when I turned into this, I felt... wide awake."

Bulbasaur believed that completely. He couldn't remember any time when Beedrill had been more energetic. Maybe it was a temporary thing after evolution. Maybe it was an attempt to counteract the motionless existence of his cocoon phase. Maybe that was his natural mental state, at least before he had ruined the moment...

"I hope I feel better soon..." he muttered. He looked at Beedrill again. "You learned a new move too, right? Do you want to practice it for a while?"

"I can't."

"Why not?"

Beedrill thought back. "Ekans said so. He said something about it. I... get mad, and I sting the other guy... and I keep getting madder... and it doesn't end until he falls or I do." There was depression visible in his eyes. "I don't want to do that to you. Ever."

Bulbasaur nodded. "That doesn't sound like the type of move that needs to be practiced, anyway."

"...it's not right."

"Hmm?"

"I wish I had your vines and leaves and things." Beedrill hovered lower until he was touching the ground. "I know we fight, and when we fight, they get hurt, but... when you do it, you hit them. Maybe they go away after that. When I hit them... it keeps hurting them. It's just... when you fight, you win. When I fight... they lose."

"You can't keep worrying about that. You just... are what you are, and you make the most of it." Bulbasaur smiled. "That's what Ekans would say, right?"

"What did Marty do to them?"

"Huh? Who are you talking about?"

"The other Beedrills. Why did they sting him? Why did they poison him? Did he hurt them?" The insect shook his head. "You never told me. I don't think they'd just want to kill him, would they?"

"Honestly... they were after me", Bulbasaur answered. "I wanted to fight one. They ganged up on me, and Marty... tried to stop them."

Beedrill looked at him blankly. "So they wanted to kill _you_?"

He tried to remember. The first one had used its string shot on him, and then told him to leave. If it wanted him dead... it had the chance. But instead, it fled...

"I don't know. Maybe... they wanted to get rid of me..."

Beedrill sighed. "That's what I mean. If I want someone to leave... I want to scare him off. Maybe hit him. I don't want to go all out. I don't want to poison him. I want him to go away... not die...

"...I don't want him to be like Marty."

* * *

Ekans returned with Zubat and Marty a few hours later, and he wasted no time explaining his intentions for the remainder of the day.

"I wish to complete tasks. To do so, I change our plans." He looked over the group. "I will need to work. You must not spend the night injured. I cannot feed tonight.

"I have an alternate option." He rose up in a coil. "I wish to fight you now."

Bulbasaur would have reacted in surprise, if Beedrill hadn't beaten him to it. "_What?_ All of us? Right now?"

Ekans shook his head. "This is different. _One at a time_." One of his eyes winked. "You may go first."

As the bee cautiously moved in to face down the larger snake, Bulbasaur wondered what their trainer was thinking. Or rather, planning. He had a reason for his actions, and he wasn't being open about it. Or was his intent simply to make them spend the afternoon recovering, rather than the evening?

Still, there was one reason to believe that whatever he was planning wasn't going to be a problem, and Bulbasaur noticed it quickly. Zubat hadn't shown the slightest amount of surprise at his announcement. She knew something...

He headed in her direction quietly. "What's he..."

"I can't talk now", she interrupted. "I have a job to do." Without another word, she took off and hovered near Marty. The human raised his arm, and she perched on it. Technically, Bulbasaur noticed, she was hanging from its underside.

"Fight harder!" Ekans hissed forcefully. "I must feel it! You want to win!"

"I'm trying!" Beedrill responded equally loudly as he moved in with a sting. "I can't hurt you!"

The snake took the blow without trying to dodge. "Get angry."

"What?"

"Get angry. Show me its power. I can take it."

"But... if I..." Beedrill stopped and looked directly at Ekans's eyes. He took a visible breath, raised a stinger, shuddered slightly, and jammed it directly into his opponent.

Ekans took it. He opened his mouth and snapped at Beedrill. It caught the insect's wings, and as Bulbasaur watched in horror, he fell directly onto the snake's coils. He slowly tried to rise, but it was apparent that his wings weren't working correctly at the moment.

This didn't stop him. Once again, he stabbed the snake. The snake responded with a torrent of poisonous venom upon his back. Beedrill buzzed even more angrily and jabbed Ekans a third time. And as he did, Bulbasaur noticed something different.

Ekans was actually wincing in pain.

The insect didn't stop. He jabbed his trainer again, raised his other stinger and used that one as well. Ekans was beginning to lose his balance, and Bulbasaur wondered if this was the moment he had been waiting for.

The snake raised his voice. "Recall!"

Before Beedrill could land a sixth hit on the weakened reptile, he was recalled into his Pokéball. Bulbasaur wasn't sure what had happened, but the question was quickly answered when he noticed that Zubat was at the proper spot on Marty's arm to be able to reach out and touch the Pokéballs on his belt. Ekans must have told her to do that.

He felt the snake's eyes upon him. "You are next." He nodded slightly in response and headed toward his opponent. Before he could start, the snake visibly swallowed. The same effect as before occurred; some of his bruises disappeared and he appeared to be maintaining his stance more easily.

He started with a few of his new leaves. They were aimed precisely, but Ekans did not flinch much at them. He shook his head in the grass Pokémon's direction. "You must do better!" To punctuate his statement, he lunged forward and bit Bulbasaur with his fangs.

This was less painful than before, Bulbasaur noticed. Maybe he had grown more resistant to such attacks, or the snake was holding back, or... he wasn't sure. Whatever the case was, he found it easier to break free of his opponent's grip. This caused him to drop a short distance, which he used to his advantage, turning the motion into a tackle at Ekans's coils.

This didn't seem to hurt him much, either.

"Go all out!" the snake shouted. "Hold nothing back!" His voice was far different now; it was uncontrolled and bordered on maniacal. It was the kind of voice that Bulbasaur would remember for days to come.

"This _is_ all I can do!" he yelled back.

"Is it?!" the voice shouted again. "Then make it count!" He dove toward the grass Pokémon. Bulbasaur knew what to expect from previous battles, and he wasn't disappointed. The snake's coils surrounded him and began to squeeze. It hurt, but not enough to leave his body limp and helpless.

This left him with one effective counterattack. He leaned back against the coil behind him, gathered all of his energy, and rammed the coils in front with his full force. It hurt himself as well; he didn't care. He had to escape this trap. He had to show his trainer that he was not weak. He had to defeat him, or else he would never...

"_Yes! Do it! Harder!_"

"Shut up!" he yelled as he repeated the same move. Each time he connected, he leaned back and tried it again. He could feel the pain increase each time, but he also felt the coils around him shuddering and loosening slightly, giving him slightly more room to build up momentum.

"_That is all!_" Ekans shouted one last time, and released Bulbasaur in a rapid motion that left him slightly dizzy and disoriented. Before he could regain his balance, he felt a pull upon his body, and he was once again wrapped in the void of comforting darkness he had felt so many times before.

* * *

It was only minutes before he was finally able to see light again. Once again, he found himself in the Pokémon Center, standing before a grounded Beedrill and nearby-perched Zubat. He prepared to turn and look around for Ekans and Marty, only to wince in pain and sink to the floor. His wounds had not been healed, he noticed with some annoyance.

"Now that we're all here", Zubat said in an authoritative voice, "I'll explain the situation. Ekans asked me to give you his orders in his stead. Right now, he's getting healed." She smiled. "He wants to thank you for the fight."

Bulbasaur could hardly contain his joy. "You mean we did it? We finally beat him?"

She shrugged. "He _did_ hold back." As his face fell, she elaborated. "Not exactly letting you win, though. From what I saw, it was more... letting you know _how_ to win first." She smiled. "The next step is for you two to get healed."

That detail had been bothering Bulbasaur. Beedrill was still sporting his bite wounds from the fight, and he was still grounded from his wing injury. Zubat, on the other hand, looked untouched. He decided to ask. "Why weren't you hurt?"

"After I recalled you, I finished the fight in one move. He never hit me." Her smile slightly shifted into smirk territory. "I'm pretty sure he wanted it that way, considering the instructions he gave me."

"What instructions?"

"You two will stay here in the center until you recover." She gestured behind him. Without looking, he guessed that Marty was most likely standing there. "Without your Pokéballs, I mean. Shall we go?"

Beedrill raised a stinger. "Why without them?"

"He needs them for a project. Besides, he thinks you two need to relax for a bit." She moved in Marty's direction, most likely to instruct him. "Don't worry. He planned most of this out."

* * *

He had been right the whole time, Bulbasaur thought to himself. If Ekans wanted to crush them in battle, he would have done so. The only reason they won was to further his goals, whatever they were.

He took a look around the room. There were several other beds near him. Most were unoccupied at the moment, save for Beedrill in the next one over. He was sleeping soundly, and probably wasn't feeling any great pain at the moment. Even his wings were looking stronger. Bulbasaur briefly wondered what types of treatments the humans used.

Marty sat in a nearby chair, watching them.

Zubat had excused herself earlier to take care of something, but she said she wouldn't be gone for long. He wasn't sure if she actually had anything to do, or if she was trying to escape the mind-numbing boredom.

Marty was still watching them.

He closed his eyes and sighed. This was far less tedious when he was inside a Pokéball. Time seemed to drift by swiftly. The world around him couldn't distract him. The light was less annoying.

He couldn't bring himself to sleep. He opened his eyes again.

Marty was still watching them.

"Do something!" Bulbasaur shouted at the boy. "Hold me! Talk to me! Find something to read! Go for a walk around town! Go see what Zubat's doing!" His eyes began to tear up. "Just... act like you _care_ about things! Do it for me!"

"...what?" His outburst had apparently woken Beedrill up.

"...don't spend the last days of your life just staring at us..."

"How much longer does he have?"

Bulbasaur didn't try to move himself to a position where he could see the insect. "You know, I don't know. They never said he'd live a month. They said he'd be lucky to survive that long." His tears hadn't dried. "It could be any day now."

"How will we know?"

"What? He'll be dead. He'll never move again..."

"Is it when he stops moving? Stops breathing? Stops thinking?"

"Don't talk like that!" Bulbasaur took a deep breath and tried to cheer himself up. "What brought this on?"

Beedrill's buzz was thoughtful. "I thought about what Zubat said. She said he was already gone."

"She was in a bad mood. That's all." He comforted himself with the thought. "After all, she spent more time with him today than any of..."

"I'm back."

Zubat, completely unaware of their previous discussion, flew into the room. "Hey. Are you two feeling better yet?"

One glance at their bruised bodies answered that question for her. "Guess not." She moved to Marty's side, and he provided an easy perch. "You still need to recover. You should stay here until then."

"...what are you doing?" Bulbasaur asked suspiciously.

"Ekans should be close to full recovery now", she answered. "We're about to get started on the project. And we need Marty." She bowed slightly. "We'll be back when you feel better, okay?"

He growled and tried to stand up. "No! It's not okay! Why has he already..." He stopped. She had already left the room with his trainer.

With a deep sigh, he sprawled out on the bed again. "I'm not being selfish, am I?" he tried to ask in Beedrill's direction. "I could swear they're trying to steal Marty from us."

"I can't tell", the bee responded. "They should tell us what they're doing."

Bulbasaur grumbled and tried to fall asleep again. It wasn't fair. Yet, for the moment, he and Beedrill were in no condition to do anything about it.

Throughout the room, various shadows flickered in sympathy.

* * *

"Okay, you're all fixed up!"

Bulbasaur opened his eyes blearily and adjusted them to see the face of a smiling woman in front of him. She was one of the people who worked here, he recalled. For some reason, he always found it easier to sleep after they showed up and started whatever procedures they were doing.

"You should be feeling much better in a few minutes", she said. "The others are waiting for you in the dining area. Would you like..."

"Wait", another woman interjected. Bulbasaur turned his head to see another woman standing over Beedrill's bed. "I just checked. They're not in there. Went back upstairs, I'll bet."

"They certainly left in a hurry, then", the first woman responded, and then looked down at Bulbasaur again. "I'll tell you what. You've been in here a while. I'm sure you want to eat something." As the grass Pokémon considered nodding, he felt the woman reach around him and slowly lift him from the bed. "Here. I'll take you to the table. They'll make sure you have a good meal, and then you can go find them. You know which room they're in, right?"

Seconds later, the two were taken to the dining area. It was easy for Bulbasaur to tell which table the others had been using; there were still bowls and a dish there. More bowls than usual. He concluded that at least one of them had been more hungry than usual.

That wasn't the only thing on his mind. The woman set him down at a different table, and Beedrill was soon sitting next to him. "We'll go check with the staff", she told him with a smile. "They know what kind of food you enjoy, I bet." And with that, she turned and headed off to the back rooms.

"...that was nice of them", Beedrill finally said after a moment of silence.

Bulbasaur didn't reply, being lost in thought. Even though he was not her Pokémon, the woman had treated him kindly and held him. It was a warm feeling, but it also made him think about how long it had been since he had last been carried by Marty. Truthfully, he missed it.

He had held Ekans and Zubat a few times. Usually because they convinced him to do so.

Next time, he thought, he would do the same thing.

* * *

The meal was as delicious as the previous ones. Quieter, though. He and Beedrill had run out of things to talk about while they were being treated, so they mostly focused on eating.

Just as they were about to finish, Zubat came swooping into the room and landed on the table. Judging by her body language and slightly unkempt appearance, she might have been through a lot.

"Sorry about that", she said in a genuinely apologetic tone of voice. "Something came up. Ekans had to head to the room immediately. I hope that didn't cause you any problems."

Beedrill stared at her. "Why are you wet?"

She was, Bulbasaur realized at a second glance. While her wings weren't showing it, the rest of her body was still covered by droplets of water, and he could make out a trail of drops heading into the room.

She looked embarrassed. "I was cleaning up again when Ekans called for me. He wants you to come back to the room with me. Immediately." She checked the table. "...I mean, if you're done eating. Sorry again."

"I... guess there's no problem", Beedrill said unsurely. "Is there?"

Bulbasaur's expression had soured. "You don't have to let yourself get pushed around like that."

The bat shook her head. "I'm supposed to obey the trainer, right?" She took off from the table again. "Anyway, we should hurry. And... we're using the window, okay? The door's locked."

* * *

She seemed to know which window led to their room, Bulbasaur realized. It was odd, because it looked like all of the others to him. In fact, this window was even closed, with the shades drawn. It was kinda suspicious when he thought about it.

Zubat turned to Beedrill. "Tap at that window for me", she said quickly. "I need to carry him."

Bulbasaur had barely seconds to prepare. But he did, and he felt little discomfort as she lifted him off the ground. Beedrill moved to the appropriate window and tapped it lightly with his stinger. A few seconds later, the shades shifted slightly, and he could hear the window open.

Suddenly, he was surrounded by darkness. He could hear the sound of a closing window behind him, and then he was no longer being held. Instead, he found himself on what felt like familiar flooring. There was more warmth in the area, though. There was also an odd chemical smell in the air.

"Thank you", a deep, unfamiliar voice sounded. It chilled Bulbasaur to the bone. "I must keep it dark. For now." Something shifted in the darkness. "What do you think?"

As his eyes began to adjust, Bulbasaur started to find more reasons to be frightened. The figure in the darkness was... huge. Taller than Ekans. Not as tall as that one rock snake, but he couldn't think of _anything_ that rivaled that opponent's size. It moved back and forth, audibly brushing against the ceiling of the room. In this darkness, in fact, he could only make out one specific feature: a pair of bright red ovals, with an even brighter pair of dots in the center. They waved at him, like giant eyes in the darkness, attempting to hypnotize him.

"I can't see", Beedrill moaned.

"You can hear", the voice responded. "Move closer."

Bulbasaur cautiously stepped forward. Less than two steps later, he bumped headfirst into something. With a small amount of hesitation, he extended his vines and held them in front of him. The blockade was well over twice his height, and it was... warm. Alive. Part of the being that shared the room with them.

"Where's Ekans?" he asked.

"You cannot recognize me." It was a statement, not a question. "I am here. But... I have evolved."

"Is that so?" Bulbasaur shook his head. It was nearly imperceptible in the dark. "Right after you told me not to?"

"Do not be foolish. You resisted for a day. I resisted for _months_."

"...you could have evolved at any moment up until now..."

"In theory." Bulbasaur could now make out a pair of shining white lights near the ceiling. They were most likely the snake's eyes, and they were focused on him. "This was the right time. Call me an Arbok. It is the correct term."

Bulbasaur tried to find Zubat in the dark. "Did you know about this?"

"No, I didn't", the female voice responded. "This wasn't our project."

"So this is just one surprise", the grass Pokémon concluded. "Where's Marty?"

"I have him." To punctuate the reply, there was the sound of heavy motion to his side. As he looked, he could barely make out a humanoid figure in the darkness. It wasn't moving.

"What have you done..." he started.

"I once had a trainer", the voice interrupted. "It is over a year since. I do not know his name." The voice darkened. "I do not care.

"I was small when we met. His Pokémon battled me. He wanted me to join him. I joined him.

"He trained me for days. I learned how to fight. I learned my moves. I heard what they did. And he told me his goals. He wanted to enter the Pokémon League. He wanted to be great. And to be great, I had to be great." The voice actually seemed to crack at this point. "I tried my hardest.

"One day we entered this town. I was ready to rest. He wanted me to fight. We went to the tower."

Bulbasaur nodded in recognition. He remembered what he had been told about this town's tower... and its inhabitants.

"There were ghosts inside", the voice continued. "He told me to fight them. I tried. I could not. My poison was weak. I could not wrap them. My gaze did nothing to hurt them. And... that was all I could do. I could not bite them. Not yet." A loud, audible sigh. "I was still learning. I needed more time."

Suddenly, his voice practically became a shout. "_No. _It did not happen. He left the tower. He left the town. And he set me free. _He did not even give me a potion._ I remember his words. 'I need to become a great trainer. My Pokémon need to be strong. _You are weak. You are useless to me. Leave._'"

Bulbasaur thought he heard Beedrill buzz something softly. He couldn't make it out.

"I was wild again. Many miles from my home. Injured. Weak. I thought I had failed. I would wait for death, I thought."

"_No._ I thought wrong. I would get better. I would become strong. Trainers would _want_ to capture me. The ghosts would pay for their victory. I would enter their tower, fight them, and win."

"It has been over a year." His voice brightened. "Feel me."

Bulbasaur could barely work up the courage to take a step forward before the large shadow before him started to slide in his direction. On instinct, he raised his front claws to push back. The thick scaly body was firm, and as it continued to bend and push against him, he could feel the strength it contained.

"I am stronger. I have met my goal. I long waited for this day." His body physically relaxed. "The ghosts do not know. They were distracted by my victims."

Things once again fell into place for Bulbasaur. Ekans had been training after all. But... he had been training in a manner that was designed to focus attention on his group. They had improved at a faster rate, after all. And considering the snake's opinion of the ghost infestation...

...they had been decoys. Especially today. No wonder he had left them out in the open of the Pokémon Center for everyone to see.

"I have the element of surprise. I will strike at them. They will fear me." There was a visible glint of light near the ceiling of the room. Teeth? "Can they stand against me?"

There was a brief pause. Bulbasaur wondered if his question wasn't meant to be rhetorical.

The voice became more serious. "...can _you_ stand against me?"

The last time he had answered this question, he had found himself in a threatening position. He opted to remain silent.

Beedrill did not. "...we had trouble with you before..."

"Do you _want _to stand against me?"

Bulbasaur could think of two ways that the question could be interpreted. The bee opted for the more optimistic one. "Well... yeah, I'd like to be as strong as you."

"Very well." The tail slid away from the group. "We train again soon."

"Are you sure?" he heard Zubat ask. "You have what you wanted. What else can we offer you?"

The room grew quiet. Bulbasaur hoped she hadn't said the wrong thing.

"It was one month ago", the snake's voice once again started. "I hunted for opponents. I found them. A trainer and five Pokémon. I wished to challenge them.

"They did not answer me. They had other worries. Their trainer was hurt. Bleeding badly. They could not help him.

"I took pity on them. I offered to help. They put him on my back. I carried them to town. Someone could help him.

"It did not happen. He was dead before we arrived."

"So", Zubat said, "you want to do a better job this time."

"I do. But not the way you think. I left the Pokémon at the center. I took the trainer away. A day later, I returned. They were gone. I never saw them again." His voice had grown concerned. "I do not know what happened. Perhaps they got lost. Perhaps they died. I know one thing. They could not live without him."

He took a deep breath. "I helped the wrong one that day. I cannot help your human. I will not try. I want to help _you_. I want _you_ to live this time."

Bulbasaur wanted to find these words comforting. He was having difficulty. Ekans... Arbok had basically just said that he didn't care for Marty's well-being...

"So what's wrong with Marty?" he asked. "Why is he..."

"He did not expect me to evolve", the voice replied. "He was afraid. I tried to comfort him. I held him."

Violent mental images began to form in Bulbasaur's head.

"And he held me." The snake once again took a breath. "He sleeps now. I do not wish to wake him. But I cannot sleep like this." There was an audible headshake. "I ask you. Help me release him."

"How?" the grass Pokémon asked immediately. "I can barely see him right now!"

"You know I hold him. Follow my body." There was a hint of amusement in his voice. "You may climb on me."

It sounded like a viable option. Using his vines, he managed to bring himself atop the bulky tail. To his side, he heard the other two. Zubat had located him quickly and was flapping near his position. Beedrill stayed near her, using his buzz as a beacon for him to follow. He moved quickly along the scaly body until he reached the point where it twisted.

Carefully, he slipped his vines into the coil. As Zubat helped him with positioning, he managed to wrap them around Marty's body. Seconds later, she lifted Bulbasaur from the snake's tail. Arbok uncoiled slowly, allowing Marty to fall free if not for the inhibiting vines. Zubat slowly lowered him, and Marty was lowered slowly to the ground. Finally he lay on the ground, his sleep undisturbed.

As soon as Zubat let go, Bulbasaur ran to his side. As far as he could tell, he was unharmed. His breathing was normal. Nothing bad had happened to him, at least physically.

"We should not lift him", Arbok considered. "Let him sleep. We will join him."

"I just spent the day..." Beedrill started to grumble before he stopped. It was not the time to complain. The two flying Pokémon landed near Bulbasaur, and soon found places to rest near him and the human.

Wait. Bulbasaur looked up. The newly-evolved snake had taken position near them. Specifically, as he turned his head, it appeared to him as though the tail had formed a complete ring around them.

"I will face the ghosts tomorrow", Arbok said softly. "And then we train."

"Do you have to hover over us like that?" the grass Pokémon asked in a slightly weary voice. "It's distracting."

The larger Pokémon thought about this for a moment. "It is true. You are completely at my mercy."

Okay. Bulbasaur was wide awake again. "Don't say things like that."

"But it is true. Remember that. I could have fought to the death. I could have eaten you. You never _had_ to leave your Pokéballs." His mouth was open, and his fangs visibly shone briefly in the dark. "It is the same for all trainers. Is it difficult to trust them?"

"...I never had the chance to find out."

"I have fought. I have killed. I am stronger than you." A short pause. "You fear me. You have good reason. You huddle together in the dark. For you know how I treat my enemies."

His eye twinkled. "But you sleep soundly. For you know you are not them."

This said, he lowered his head directly on top of his body. The small amount of visible light was cut off by what must have been a larger head than before. This meant, Bulbasaur thought, that his jaws were directly above them.

"I am here", the snake whispered. "You are safe."

Silence.

"Why does he say those things?" Bulbasaur muttered softly to himself.

"I think I understand", Zubat said in a tone that reflected how tired she was. "We are giving him what he's always wanted. He wants us to fear him, and yet love him."

The massive body that surrounded them rumbled softly, possibly in agreement.

* * *

Bulbasaur quietly looked around himself. It was unfortunate that he had spent so much of the afternoon resting in the center. He was finding it difficult to stay asleep.

It was still impossible to see anything. He couldn't make out any of the sleeping people near him. The only thing he noticed was that something was lying on top of him.

He shifted slightly, placing him next to the one who was holding him.

It felt like Marty. He smiled. He hadn't been held by his trainer for a while now, and he found the feeling comforting. He decided to extend his vines and wrap them around the human's arm in return.

"I will make you proud of me", he whispered. "Please... stay alive until then. Don't leave us alone... like that other trainer..."

Those weren't pleasant thoughts, he knew. He dismissed them immediately and started to drift back to sleep.

A very soft mumble could be heard, coming from directly above him. "...he was delicious..."

_**Seeing that you can't accept the common rules  
**__**Seeing that I'm your only chance to survive**_


	6. Needless

Another new morning had arrived, and Bulbasaur felt ready to face it. No more waking up in a Pokéball. None of that exhaustion from the previous morning. This time, he and the others would...

...that's odd. The others weren't in the room. He had been left alone with Marty, who continued to lie on the floor, arm wrapped around his starter to hold him snugly.

Bulbasaur sighed with pure contentment. He could stay with his trainer for a few more minutes, or at least until the others came back. He wasn't doing anything else anyway. He'd rather enjoy the moment as long as possible, feel the warmth of the human by his side...

...wait. He wasn't warm at all.

He turned his head to look at Marty more closely. His skin was far paler than before. His arm wasn't holding Bulbasaur at all; it merely rested on top of him, and gravity did the rest.

He wasn't even breathing.

_"Help!" _he called to anyone in the vicinity, shaking the limp arm off his body and rising to all fours. "I think he's gotten worse! We need to get him to a nurse, fast!"

_No_, a dark, sinister voice told him. _It is too late._

"...no..." Bulbasaur whimpered sadly. "Not this soon... not like this..."

_He is mine._

"...what?"

Bulbasaur turned in surprise to see a giant snake, pitch black in color, towering over him and his recently deceased trainer. Without a moment's hesitation, it lunged at Marty. The grass Pokémon was barely able to leap out of the way in time as the snake snapped up Marty in its jaws. With a single swallow, his legs disappeared between

Bulbasaur woke up in shock, breathing heavily.

He turned to his right immediately. The shades were still drawn, but there was just enough morning light to see Marty at his side. He was still breathing. His arm, while it was not firmly gripping Bulbasaur, was still warm. He was still alive, and would not be a tasty meal for...

He looked around quickly. Beedrill was still lying on the floor near him. Zubat didn't seem to be anywhere in the room. The main highlight was the large purple tail that covered a large portion of the floor and eventually led into the washroom.

"Why do they not work?"

That was the deep voice he had heard last night. It would take him a while to get used to it. "What's wrong?" he asked after giving himself a few moments to calm his nerves.

"You are awake." The tail slid a short distance into the washroom, and an unfamiliar head emerged from above it.

Now that there was more light, Bulbasaur could finally make out Arbok's features clearly. The body widened to a much thicker size near his head, complete with a bizarre red, yellow and black pattern on the front. He remembered the red and yellow, anyway. Above it, a surprisingly small head given the massive body that led up to it, and the visible grimace of the snake that possessed it.

"I know I have them!" he ranted. "New techniques! I can feel them! I know what they are! _Why can I not do them?_"

"You learn new moves when you evolve?" Bulbasaur asked. "What are they?"

"Think of my bite", Arbok said, opening his mouth and revealing his fangs. To be honest, Bulbasaur had spent more than enough time thinking of it a few minutes ago. "With more power. Icy breath. Fiery fangs that burn. An electric shock." He turned toward the washroom again. "Bites of many elements. All useful against ghosts." He audibly sighed. "They should work. Something is wrong."

"I see." Bulbasaur noticed that Beedrill was starting to wake up. "What should we do?"

"I must learn more." He allowed the last traces of frustration to disappear from his expression. "This will be your task. You must..."

He was interrupted by a tapping sound. With a small amount of embarrassment, he slid across the room toward the window in a surprisingly agile manner, leaned toward it, gripped part of it with his teeth, and tilted his body upward slowly.

As the window opened, Zubat entered the room again. "Thanks for that", she said briefly.

"How are your wings?" Arbok asked with curiosity.

"Getting much better. I'm only slightly tired right now."

"That is fortunate." He turned to face the other two Pokémon. "A concern has risen. I have not learned my moves. I am unable..."

"About that", she broke in, "if you're talking about your surprise attack on the ghosts, forget it." She shook her head. "They know you evolved."

"_What?"_ Arbok's eyes were naturally smaller than those of his previous form, but they could still widen considerably. "I took care to hide it! How do they know?"

"I passed by a group of them just before sunrise. They talked about you."

Bulbasaur blinked. "You've been listening to the ghosts?"

She smirked. "Are you kidding? You can't fly around for ten minutes without running into them."

* * *

The group had to sit at one of the central tables this time.

Simply put, Arbok could no longer comfortably fit into one of the booths. He was larger than the average Arbok by a great deal, and the amount of available space wasn't enough. Instead, he sat on the floor, leaving much of his tail piled under the table itself. This didn't bother any of the employees on duty, as long as he wasn't a tripping hazard.

In fact, he had to be recalled into his Pokéball to leave Marty's room in the first place.

He stared at his second bowl of food. "Was this a waste?" he asked, mostly to himself.

Beedrill was only halfway done with his bowl. "This was your goal, right?"

"I cannot start my fight. I lack the moves. I could not hide. The ghosts still win." He lowered his head until it laid flat upon the table. His expression was not happy. "They will torment me. Nothing changes."

Zubat swallowed her mouthful of food. "I wouldn't call that a _waste_, exactly."

His eyes shifted upward. "Why not?"

"You're not dead. You're not beaten. And..." She tried to keep a straight face. She failed. "...we'd be lying if we said you haven't gotten any stronger."

Bulbasaur's mouth was still full of food, so he limited himself to nodding quickly. Beedrill did the same. "And you're so big and scary, too! You could scare _them_!"

"I could", Arbok agreed. A few seconds later, he began to chuckle. The table moved slightly to match. "You are good students. We shall learn from this. All of us." He looked up at the ceiling, trying to think for a moment. "We call it a lesson. Remember this. We set goals. We pursue them. We can fail. But if we fail... we are still better, yes?"

As everyone nodded, he continued. "We remember this. We eat, and we train. I keep my promise." He turned to face Beedrill. "We work together today."

Zubat interrupted. "Aren't you forgetting something? Our little project?"

Arbok turned to look at her. It took him a moment, and then his face lit up. "Yes. I do nearly forget." He lowered himself from the table and circled around it. Marty, who had simply eaten at his own pace during the conversation, stood up suddenly, perhaps in fear. This put Arbok in the perfect position to lean his head on his waist, near the Pokéballs on his belt. "They are ready. Look. Do not touch."

Bulbasaur moved across the table to take a closer look. Of the four balls, only one retained its usual red coloring. As for the others, one was blue, one was yellow, and the third was...

...he didn't remember the color's name, but he knew it. They were the colors he had indicated in the store that day.

That wasn't all. In the same color as each ball, drawn on the white part below it, was a smudge of some sort. If he squinted correctly, he could make out an image in them. A Zubat with spread wings on the blue one. A Beedrill with raised stingers on the yellow one. And... he could only assume that last one was supposed to be him. The vines looked right, anyway. Did he really look like that?

"I do not know if he improves", Arbok explained. "This may help. He sees your ball. He knows which one it is. Maybe he learns to use it. Maybe not." He took a breath. "Maybe... you go up to him. Signal him. He recalls you to the right one. He learns to tell them apart. And it is easier for you."

Bulbasaur didn't know if the idea would pay off, but he appreciated it nonetheless. At a time like this, as he struggled to convince himself that Marty was not a lost cause, any provided signs of faith and means of improvement were always an easy way to cheer him up.

"Who drew these?"

Arbok was hesitant. "You could say..."

"It was... strange", Zubat answered for him. "He grabbed me in his mouth, stuck me in some goo, and rubbed my legs over those balls. I don't know why."

Bulbasaur knew why by now, and he figured Beedrill did as well. But she wouldn't understand it even if he explained it. Instead, he drew another conclusion, based on what he had witnessed the previous night. "And then you cleaned yourself with water?"

"If you had been there", she muttered, "you would, too."

* * *

Bulbasaur and Zubat hadn't learned any new moves since the previous day, so they worked on becoming better with their current ones.

The swirl of leaves headed in the bat's direction. She dodged most of them, and then focused energy into her wings. With a surprising amount of strength, she physically destroyed the last few leaves with her flaps.

As she hovered lower, Bulbasaur smiled at her. "When I see you like that, it's easy to forget how you used to get so tired."

"I've practiced as much as I can", she said. "It's something I needed to work on, and it was better than sitting around."

"Good idea. Maybe I should do some lifting with my vines whenever I'm not busy." He extended and rubbed them together. "Not that I could do that in an empty field. Or when it's dark out."

"Yeah", Zubat said quietly. She wasn't smiling as much now.

Bulbasaur noticed. "What's wrong?"

She sighed. "I think you should know something. Whatever you do, don't tell Ekans."

"Arbok", he corrected.

"Whatever. You might not want to tell Beedrill, either. It's just... you know how he looks up to him."

Bulbasaur was now looking concerned. "What is it?"

She turned her head in the direction of the town. "You know how he's been going on and on about how much he hates those ghosts and how he intends to fight them?" The grass Pokémon nodded. She continued. "I don't like it."

"Are you sure? He keeps saying they torment him." He paused to think. "Though, come to think of it, I've never seen them do it."

"There's a reason."

He looked at her questioningly. She came to a landing next to him. "They've been staying out of our way. Mostly because..." She took a breath. "...I asked them to."

"Wait. You've been talking to them?"

"The first day we trained, I went out to fly that one time. They caught up to me, and they... asked questions." She shrugged her wings. "Normal ones, I guess. What were we doing, were we going to stay, how did we end up with Ekans, what's wrong with the human, things like that."

Her expression became more serious, if her mouth was any indication. "They're not chasing us. I think they just find us interesting."

He smiled slightly. "No wonder you used us to grab their attention."

"I've been talking to them every day", she continued. "I think it works. I tell them how things are going, and they don't take the time to bug us themselves. I really don't know what they'd be doing if I didn't tell them, but..."

She trailed off. Her mouth fell into a guilty frown. "They found out he evolved, because... I told them he did."

Bulbasaur was slightly stunned. "Should you be doing that? You know how much this means to him..."

"Listen!" She sounded slightly annoyed. "We're here to train. I have no idea if anything you're planning is going to work, but as long as I'm here, I'm your Zubat and I'm going to make the most of it." She shook her head. "I think he's a good teacher. I want to learn as much as I can. But... it's _not_ going to do us any good to _start a war with the locals._"

After a short pause to calm herself, she smiled again. "You understand, right? You should be glad I told him. He called the whole thing off." Her smile grew. "We win."

Bulbasaur didn't smile. "I can't imagine what that does for _his_ morale..."

"It's better in the long run. Keep the ghosts happy." She nodded slightly. "I get the feeling they have a lot of influence in this area."

"You think so?"

"Look at the humans. They're practically waiting on us. You had no problem getting food last night without a trainer, didn't you?"

"You think that has to do with the ghosts?" Bulbasaur asked skeptically. "We've been in town a few days, and business is slow. I thought they just remembered us."

"Hm. You might be right. Or I am. Or maybe it's because of the giant snake. I can't tell." She shrugged. "Either way, it all means the same thing.

"Somehow, we've become the center of attention."

* * *

When Arbok and Beedrill returned to the group, the snake had something he wished to discuss with the others.

"The ghosts are gathering in town", he said. "I am certain. I fear I endanger you."

Bulbasaur fought the urge to turn to look at Zubat's reaction. He knew she wanted to keep it a secret. He didn't want to implicate her or himself in any manner.

"I do not attack them. But I must consider a fight. One of them may start it." He took a breath. "We need a plan. In case a ghost attacks, how do we defend?

"I can do little. I cannot poison them. My body does not touch them. I can spit mud... but they float. It does not reach." He sighed. "All I can do is bite."

He slithered next to Beedrill. "The bee. His poison is equally pointless. His stings... they resist them. He may be worse."

His next subject was Bulbasaur. "The plant. Tackles will not touch them. Leaves and vines wilt near them. The mist is a possibility." He pondered. "You have a sleeping mist. It is worth it if we must escape. But it will not hurt.

"This brings us to the bat." He smiled. "She can also bite. Her wings work in battle. And..." He gave her a closer look. "Her screams... are ghostly. Ghosts hurt ghosts."

Zubat looked around rapidly. "You're saying... if we get attacked by ghosts... _I_ have to fight them?"

"You are our best hope." He looked back at Bulbasaur. "If you cannot, he helps us run."

Bulbasaur maintained his straight expression, but he wondered. Was there a reason why this came up? Was Arbok planning something? Did he know something about Zubat?

"If it comes to that", she said, "I will do my best."

* * *

Another afternoon of finding battles, doing moves, striving to improve, and the occasional use of items. And, as always, Arbok took charge and Marty did nothing. There had to be a more exciting and rewarding way of doing this, Bulbasaur thought to himself.

They were back in the dining area now, this time for the evening meal. Arbok had easily reached his third bowl now. While no one on staff complained, it was a safe assumption that his larger form required more food to satisfy him.

"What happens when we leave?"

Arbok stopped eating briefly to look at the inquisitive Beedrill. "I am no longer certain. Should I stay? Is there somewhere I must go? I have not yet decided." He looked around the table. "Before I evolved, I knew. Now I do not."

Beedrill shook his head. "I meant... when we leave, how do you live? What do you eat?"

The snake slowly nodded, and then stopped in concern. "You fear I will eat others." He nodded again. "I _know_ I will. It is unfortunate."

The insect looked sad. Arbok noticed, and tried to make his voice more comforting. "It has always been true. I have been here for a while. I have fought thousands. I have eaten hundreds." He frowned. "It is always this way. I never know when I next eat. I eat what comes to me."

"You're not helping", Zubat said under her breath.

"I am not proud of my life", he concluded. "I am proud that I survived." He smiled as best as he could. "I want you to know that. All of you. I only train you in battle. I am no hero. Do not want to live like me.

"You are trained. You stay with a master. You have this food. You are truly cared for." He sighed. "One day someone may capture me. A true expert. I intend to impress him. I hope it comes soon. Until then... I am wild."

"You could come with us", Beedrill murmured.

He shook his head. "It will not work."

"Why not?" Zubat asked.

"I need challenging battles. I want partners with my skill. Anyone who rivals me will crush you." He eyed Bulbasaur as he finished. "My trainer needs to be strong. He needs to be confident." His eyes closed. "He also needs to _stay alive_."

* * *

Before he knew it, Bulbasaur was back in the dining hall again. He didn't know why, but these trips seemed to be more frequent than before. The others didn't seem to mind.

"Who trains today?" Beedrill asked.

Arbok didn't answer. He was too busy staring at his half-eaten bowl of food.

After a few seconds, he looked up again. His manner seemed somewhat weak and desperate, like he was...

"Is something wrong?" Zubat asked.

"It is not enough", he finally said.

"What isn't?"

He rose from the table in a quick motion. "This is not filling! I need food! _Real food!"_

Beedrill looked up in surprise. "Huh?"

Seconds later, he was hovering away as fast as he could as Arbok attempted to lunge at him. "_Food!_"

Bulbasaur jumped from the table. "Run for it! He's gone crazy!" Zubat took a quick lead over him as she reacted.

"_Come back, food!_" A short period of silence. "_Food! You will do!"_

The grass Pokémon stopped in horror, realizing what was happening. He turned around to see that Arbok had grabbed Marty by the legs and was starting to devour him.

"Marty!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Leave him!" Zubat called. "We need to save ourselves!"

"But..."

He tried to turn away and run, but he couldn't get anywhere. Something was holding onto him.

As he turned around, he saw Marty smiling desperately in his direction, Arbok's mouth up to his waist, as he held onto the Pokémon's leg with a single hand. He spoke quietly, and for the first time in a while. "You said... you would always stay with me..."

Bulbasaur couldn't bring himself to struggle against his trainer. Soon Arbok had swallowed Marty's chest, and then his head. Now he was working on his arm, pulling Bulbasaur along with him, as the two disappeared between his sharp

"_MARTY!"_

Bulbasaur's voice strained from screaming at the top of his lungs, before he noticed that he had woken up. Another nightmare, he realized. They were really starting to bug him.

Or was it? He was surrounded by nothing but darkness. Maybe this really was...

...no, this was his Pokéball. He remembered now. Arbok had told them that he still expected a match every evening in order to test their strength and continue refining his own skills. After his evolution, they were once again having significant trouble doing any damage against him. Maybe it wouldn't last. Maybe he needed to learn, too.

Right now, he was resting and recovering. So were the other two.

This meant that Marty was staying with Arbok again.

_Alone._

* * *

Arbok kept an eye on Bulbasaur with an expression of concern. "You are tense."

The two were heading through town with Marty again. Probably in the direction of the item shop again. Bulbasaur remembered this route from three days ago. Right down to the shadows that kept floating just out of view.

_Ask him_, he tried to convince himself. _It doesn't help to keep worrying about it. Talk to him. He may understand. You can't just let this continue._

"I've... been having nightmares."

The snake gave him a closer look. "Is that so? What do you dream of?"

Bulbasaur stared directly into his eyes, and the weight inside his gut increased even more. It was harder than he thought to truly admit his concern.

Still, he tried to start. "They're all about... Marty dying."

The other went silent. For a moment, they traveled quietly through the town.

"I am not surprised", he finally said. "You are close to him. This cannot be pleasant for you."

"I don't know why", Bulbasaur admitted, "but it never felt so real to me before. That it could actually happen..."

"Plant", Arbok said in a stern voice. Bulbasaur once again wished that he would occasionally refer to others by at least their species. "Your human will die. It will happen. You cannot stop it. _Do not mope._"

The giant snake was suddenly directly in front of Bulbasaur, before he had even thought of coming to a stop. He began to wonder if he was becoming too predictable.

"You _will _get through this", the snake emphasized. "You must. You are strong. Are you not strong enough? I will make you stronger." He lowered his head to gaze directly into his eyes. "Look to the future. _You will live._"

To punctuate his point, his tongue once again flicked out and touched Bulbasaur's face. It was a larger tongue this time, and the force was enough to push his head back slightly, though without injury. It was hard to tell if it was supposed to be comforting.

"Do not worry now. We must plan." Arbok turned to look down the road. "We are near the shop. What do we need?"

"Why am I always the one who goes here?" Bulbasaur asked quietly.

"A good question", Arbok answered before looking at him again. "Many reasons. You are the closest to the human. He has the money. You intend to lead in time. You have the most reason to learn this. And you can pick up items."

"...no, I can't. Not really. I only have these vines."

"The bee has stingers. The bat has wings. Neither can hold things." The snake coiled around slightly, looking down at himself. "And I have no legs at all."

That was the best explanation he could have hoped for, Bulbasaur realized. "But you've done so well so far..."

"I manage", Arbok said simply. "I am used to it. I have two answers for everything. My body or my mouth." He smiled. "They do not always work. I find other ways."

They came to a stop outside the door. The snake nodded as he seized the door's handle with his jaws. "This time, I have you."

The door opened, and Bulbasaur crawled into the shop. After a few looks around the area, he prepared to head through the shelves.

He stopped suddenly. He wasn't being followed.

With an annoyed expression, he headed back to the door. Arbok continued to hold it open, and Marty remained next to him. "Aren't you coming in?"

"I may knock over things."

"What about Marty? Isn't he going to follow?"

Arbok gave the human a close look. "I expected it. He does not seem to agree."

Bulbasaur sighed. As he shook his head, extended his vine whips and prepared to lead him inside, Arbok spoke again. "Leave him be. I have a theory to test." His smile was considerably wider than before. "You may learn from this."

* * *

He was back inside the shop again, this time carrying his master's supply of money in a small bag.

Stay focused, he told himself. The trick was to always look like you knew exactly what you were doing. With no hesitation, he found a nearby empty box and pushed it in the direction of the potion aisle.

They were running dangerously low. Everyone could agree about that. He picked up a healthy supply, placing them in the box with his vines one by one. Now to consider the other items.

They had not expended most of their heals. They were fine. Next came the repels. Arbok had flip-flopped on that one; now he was suggesting that they carry a few. Bulbasaur had a pretty good idea exactly which Pokémon he wanted to keep away at all costs.

His eyes came once again to the antidotes.

We have no need for them, Arbok had said. Yes. The poison Pokémon had said. He was finding it difficult to take that claim at face value at the moment. Marty might not have found a good use for them, but...

He grabbed one. They could afford it, and it couldn't hurt to be prepared for the worst.

Now, the true test. Using only his body, he pushed the heavier box toward the human he had determined to be in charge of any transactions here.

Arbok had expected this, and he was right. The man stepped out from behind the table, walked over, picked up the box and carried it to his usual station. "Doing some shopping for your master?" he asked in a voice that was simultaneously friendly, amused and condescending. He glanced out the door at the snake and human on the other side. "I wish I'd trained my own Pokémon to be so helpful."

Bulbasaur lifted the money sack in his direction. The man took it and started counting coins from it. In honesty, the Pokémon knew little about their value. He could only hope that the man was trustworthy enough to do it right.

"That should be about right", he said, holding out the sack for the Pokémon to take. He did, and the man lifted the box and carried it outside for him as he followed. Once outside, he set it down near the other two.

"Thank you", Bulbasaur said, looking up at the man with a smile.

He apparently understood the intent, if not the words. "Thank you for stopping by! Good luck with your training!" He checked a small calendar on the wall. "Only four months until the League, you know!"

"It worked out fine, yes?" Arbok asked the grass Pokémon as he prepared to assist with the pushing. On cue, Marty walked over and picked up the box for them.

"A little _too_ well", Bulbasaur agreed.

"Trainers are like that. They take care of Pokémon. They try to understand them." He closed his eyes for a moment. "They prefer the opposite. They want _us_ to understand _them_. To know how _they_ live."

"Which one is right?"

"I do not know. Perhaps both."

Bulbasaur thought about this as they continued on their way back out of town. Or, at least, he tried to. Something about that experience was starting to bother him.

* * *

It was not yet time to return to the others. Instead, Arbok decided to take this time to examine Bulbasaur more closely.

"You have made progress", he concluded quickly. "Did you learn a new technique?"

Bulbasaur nodded. "I think so. It feels like it did last time."

"That is good. You recognize the symptoms now." He moved a safe distance away. "Show me."

This was a fairly simple process. Bulbasaur focused his power. This time, it flowed directly into the seed upon his back and slowly approached the breaking point. It felt the same as his other gas moves, to be honest.

The seed reached its capacity, and a spray came forth. Compared to the other moves, this one was less revolting. In fact, he thought, it was almost... appealing. The kind of scent he _wanted_ to smell.

Considering how he was moving, Arbok had noticed it, too. Slowly, he slithered back in his direction, his eyes glued to the grass Pokémon. His tongue flicked sporadically, a similar reaction to when he had emitted other gases.

"That smell!"

That _wasn't_ Arbok. Bulbasaur turned in surprise to see a large plant Pokémon approaching rapidly. It was hard to get a good impression of its appearance, but it had a yellow head and a large gaping mouth. And it was coming directly for him.

Not a good sign. He prepared his vine whips.

The newcomer beat him to it. A pair of larger whips, thicker and possessing more range, struck him before he could react. They didn't strike him in the correct manner to physically injure him, but the force was enough to knock him down.

"No!" Arbok hissed loudly as he turned to face Bulbasaur's new position. "You cannot have him!" He prepared to stand between the two, only to jump out of the way as soon as he noticed the incoming spores.

They struck the weaker grass Pokémon, causing him to fall flat upon the ground. He struggled to rise, but had no success. His legs and vines refused to move. All he could do was watch in quiet fear as the larger plant moved toward him, mouth opening...

"He is _mine!_"

From his side, the snake dove, striking the comparatively small creature with his fangs. The two were now out of his line of sight, leaving him no option but to hear the sounds of the fight and stare at the admittedly peaceful landscape that surrounded this town.

Eventually the sounds quieted down. He still couldn't move, though. On the brighter side, the only voice he heard now was that of his so-called trainer. It grew louder as he noticed that there was a shadow upon him. "Are you hurt?"

He couldn't reply. Not like this.

"No... he did not... I will not..."

And then all was familiar darkness...

* * *

Light once again shone on him, and he opened his eyes. Time had passed. It couldn't have been more than an hour or two.

He expected Beedrill to be the first one he saw. He wasn't. The insect was at a safe distance, looking concerned, as he and Zubat remained well behind the giant snake that was positioned in front of him.

"Can you move?" he asked.

Bulbasaur tried moving his legs, and found them responsive. He smiled. "Yeah, I'm feeling better now. Thank you for..."

"I do not deserve it", Arbok interrupted. "The Weepinbell nearly... I nearly... you came close to death..."

...was that sorrow in his eyes? Bulbasaur had never seen him like this before. That incident had to have been hard on him, even if he was not the one in danger.

The snake's eyes became deathly serious. "You must promise me. _Never_ use that move again. It will only hurt you."

He was inclined to agree. "I won't."

"Thank you." Arbok took a few deep breaths, and then turned to look at the others. "The situation is at an end. We will continue as planned. Line up."

The other two moved to hover on each side of Bulbasaur. He could tell that Beedrill was happy to see him again, but he imagined Zubat felt the same way.

Arbok continued. "We will head out to train. Keep alert. There may be a group. If necessary, I will fight." He moved his head down to look directly at Bulbasaur. "I want three things from you."

"First, keep your promise. Do not use that move. Second, remain calm. The worst is over. Fear will not help. You need to focus.

"Third." His eyes moved to the side slightly. "I take back my advice. For now." His eyes moved forward again, and despite everything, he managed to look reassuring. "I want you to evolve."

* * *

An hour passed.

The yellow scaly rodent cowered slightly as Bulbasaur sent a long stream of leaves at him. Moments earlier, its claws were a serious threat. Now, it seemed to be entirely on defense, and failing at that. The other trainer would need to recall him soon.

It wasn't different from any of the previous battles they had found that day, except that it was that moment that Bulbasaur felt the power growing within him again.

As Arbok had told him, he would need to regenerate the power through battling before evolving, but when he did, he would be able to do it at any time. He had asked the snake why he had changed his mind. The answer had been succinct. He had enough moves to be a strong combatant at the moment. But now, he needed the strength to keep up with any potential opponents.

Besides, if he truly was a starter Pokémon, he would have another evolution at a later time. It was a good idea to figure out the benefits of evolving as opposed to not evolving, such that he could make a better decision later.

After the challenger left, he allowed it to happen.

It was becoming slightly difficult to see, as his body began radiating a bright white light. Still, he could feel it happening. His legs lengthened and broadened, providing some much needed support as his body increased in mass. Most of it seemed to be focused on the bud on his back, and he soon understood why. He released the pent up energy, and the bud began to open, the leaves began to spread, and a flower blossomed.

A minute passed, and then it was over.

He looked around. His growth hadn't been nearly as dramatic as, say, Arbok's, but he had changed. Beedrill was about the same length as him now, despite his much slimmer build, and Zubat was now decidedly the smallest member of the group. For now.

Beedrill hovered closer, and he got the distinct impression that the bee was most interested in the flower. "You did it!" he said. "Doesn't it feel good?"

Zubat nodded appreciatively. "Looks like I've got some catching up to do."

The newly evolved Pokémon basked in the attention for a few moments before turning his attention to Arbok and Marty. With a bright grin on his face, he headed in their direction.

"This will be good for you", Arbok calmly stated. He didn't seem to be the celebratory type. "You will handle threats more easily. The one from earlier..."

He trailed off as he noticed that the grass Pokémon was staring up at Marty.

The human watched him carefully. However, that was all he did. He did not provide words of encouragement for his beloved Pokémon. He didn't kneel down to pet or hold him, or do anything else to suggest that he was enjoying the moment. He wasn't even _smiling_.

And as soon as he observed this, neither was the grass Pokémon. He slowly turned to face the snake. "What do they call my new form?" he asked.

Arbok shook his head somberly. "I do not know."

* * *

"Everyone, I've come to a decision."

It had been several days since the Pokémon previously known as Bulbasaur had started a conversation in the dining hall. The others looked up at him immediately. Marty continued to eat, more slowly than before.

This was going to be hard to say. "We've spent too much time in this town. We need to leave."

Arbok tilted his head slightly. "Why?"

"We've been here for... five days now. We haven't gotten any more badges. And Marty's getting worse."

Beedrill blinked a few times. "But we've gotten better at fighting, right?"

The grass Pokémon, who had been greeted as "Ivysaur" when the humans in charge noticed his evolution, nodded. "We have. We have Arbok to thank for that. But we need to get moving soon."

Zubat sighed. "I haven't even evolved yet."

"Your time will come. But it won't be here."

"I only worked with him one day..."

"You only just evolved", Arbok added. "You are not used to it. You need more training."

"We don't have that kind of time!" Ivysaur's voice was starting to get irate.

"You are not strong enough. You will not reach the Pok..."

"_We're not going _to the Pokémon League!" he shouted over his hiss.

This caught everyone else at the table off guard. Considering how much he had been in support of the idea before...

"...why not?" Beedrill warily asked.

The grass Pokémon took a breath. "I heard the humans. The Pokémon League tournament will be held four months from now." He shook his head. "Even if we make it, Marty will be long gone by then."

"Oh." A brief pause. "So why do we want more badges?"

"I promised him. We'll go as far as we can. We have to at least _try_." He looked directly at Arbok. "But if we spend any more time here, by the time we win at the next gym... he won't even be well enough to _care_." He was starting to tear up again. Everyone around the table noticed.

Zubat's voice was skeptical. "Will they even let him battle?"

"They _have_ to. I'm not giving up. Even if we have to force our way in!"

Arbok shook his head. "You make no sense. If they do not permit him, there is no badge."

"Then we'll just have to take it ourselves!"

"Why will you do it? He will not live long en..."

"I don't care! We're doing this for him, remember? If there's anything we can..."

Arbok raised his voice even louder, trying to get the upper hand in this shouting match. "It is too late for him. He is a lost cause."

Ivysaur glared daggers at him. "You did this on purpose, didn't you? You wanted to keep us here long enough to ensure that our journey is wasted!"

"No!" The hiss had become a roar. "I do this for _you_! Forget about the human!"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?! You don't care about him! You never did! He's_ just another meal to you!_"

Arbok's mouth opened again, but no words came out. Everyone else at the table had gone completely silent, staring at the grass Pokémon.

Zubat was the first to recover, but her voice remained offended. "How can you say that? He..."

She trailed off as she watched the snake silently slither away from the table and out the door of the dining hall. "Now look what you've done!"

Beedrill seemed more confused than angry. "What are you talking about?"

Ivysaur turned to look at him. "He..." He stopped as soon as he saw Zubat fly out the door after the snake.

He sighed. "Stay here", he told the insect. "Keep an eye on Marty. I have to talk to them." And just as rapidly, he lowered himself to the floor and ran after them.

Hopefully Beedrill wouldn't come along, he thought. He didn't want him to hear this conversation.

* * *

Arbok sat outside the Pokémon Center, staring upward at the moon. Zubat perched on a nearby sign. She wasn't saying anything to him at the time Ivysaur arrived.

"I overreacted", he admitted in an effort to restart the conversation. "I shouldn't have. Today has been..."

"I tried", Arbok said quietly. "I tried my hardest."

"I need a break", Zubat said at an equal volume. "I'll be back shortly."

"You don't have to..."

She was already flying off into the distance, and her silhouette rapidly became harder to see against the evening sky. He decided against explaining to Arbok where she probably _was_ going.

Instead, he moved closer to the snake. "I shouldn't accuse you of things like that", he admitted. "It's not fair to you. Just... tell me I'm wrong, and I'll..."

Arbok shook his head. "I wish you _were_ wrong. It would hurt less."

Ivysaur's eyes widened considerably. "But... no... you really were planning...?"

"I have considered it. Several times."

"No. Please don't say that!"

His attention was now focused on the ground. "I know how humans taste. I am often close to him. He will die soon." His mouth opened slightly, revealing visible saliva. "It is hard to ignore the possibility."

"It's not a possibility!" Ivysaur counterargued. "I won't let you kill him!"

"He will die. He will be eaten. All dead creatures will." His mouth twisted slightly in disgust, but he continued to speak. "Sometimes by scavengers. Sometimes by insects. Bury him in the ground? It still happens. His body must go somewhere." His eyes became slightly hopeful. "I would gladly have him."

This topic of conversation was just _wrong_, Ivysaur thought. And yet...

"That is not the worry", Arbok considered out loud, interrupting his thoughts. "The attack scared you, yes?" Ivysaur nodded slightly, prompting the snake to continue. "It scared me as well. I know why the Weepinbell came. It wanted to eat you."

Ivysaur had seen the advancing plant. There was absolutely no reason to disagree. Before he could acknowledge it, Arbok was staring at him again, and there was visible tension in his eyes.

"It was that scent", he said. "He was attracted by the smell. I do not blame him. I smelled it as well. And..." He audibly swallowed.

"...at that moment... _I_ wanted to eat you."

Before the grass Pokémon could react, Arbok looked away suddenly. "I knew I was strong. I tried to resist it. I succeeded. But the thought was there. I tried to prevent it. I did not want..." He became visibly agitated. "None of it worked. You noticed. You look at me like that. You see me as your predator. I have failed."

"...no..." Ivysaur mumbled. "I didn't notice that. I've been worried about Marty for days..."

"I wanted to train you", the snake continued. "I wanted to help you. You knew I would not hurt you. And yet... I was tempted. I lost you. You hate me." His voice was now an audible sigh. "I will not argue. I do not have the right. I will leave you."

The odd thing about this situation, Ivysaur found, was that he was starting to feel sorry for Arbok. It was easy to write him off as a giant hungry carnivore, especially after his evolution, and everything he knew about his eating habits. He had been worrying about it for so long... and now Arbok himself was worrying about it... maybe it really was true...

He shook his head. True or not, his so-called trainer had yet to eat anyone... at least, anyone he cared about...

And he was already turning to go.

Ivysaur's vines were longer than they had been before his evolution, and he took advantage of this fact to catch the snake's attention before he could get too far. As the larger Pokémon slowed to a halt, he approached him cautiously. "I meant that", he said with as much honesty in his voice as he could muster. "I was never afraid for myself. You have far more willpower than you think."

Arbok gave him a questioning look. "You still accused me."

"That was... you told us about a trainer. I thought about Marty... it was just... I didn't want to lose him in the same way." He gave Arbok a hopeful look. "Please... just promise me you won't eat him. That's all I need."

The snake nodded slowly. "He is your human. I will respect your wish."

From just behind the grass Pokémon, he could hear the sound of bat wings. "Okay, then. And you say you don't want to eat me or the others?"

"I would regret it. Do not tempt me. Do not use that scent."

Ivysaur smiled. "In that case, there isn't a problem at all, is there?" He walked forward and rubbed against the snake's tail with his body. "I shouldn't hate you. Especially not after you helped us so much."

Arbok turned his head to gaze down at him, and his tail began to push back against the grass Pokémon gently. Ivysaur understood the intent. To show his strength... and his control... and his affection.

"I think I missed something important", Zubat commented from behind them.

"We are here. We should discuss the issue", the snake said as he turned to face her. "What will we..."

"No." Ivysaur had slowed his rubbing, and his voice was once again firm. "That decision is made. I am not changing it." He looked directly into Arbok's eyes. "We leave tomorrow, no matter what."

* * *

That did not mean that he had to be impolite or uncaring. He remembered how he had treated Beedrill. He knew better than to do it again. Especially to this Pokémon.

Thus, after the group returned to the dining area and finished their meal, he invited Arbok to spend one last night with them. And most likely another meal in the morning. And then... they would part amicably.

There wouldn't be a battle this time, either. He wanted to spend the night with Marty, while he still could. The human rested on the bed this time, with Ivysaur at his side. Arbok covered a large portion of the floor in a manner he said he had used each day so far. This left Beedrill and Zubat to find higher perches. Zubat stayed on a bedpost near the window, while Beedrill found a spot on the wall above the bed.

Arbok raised a question. "Which way will you go?"

"I haven't decided", Ivysaur answered honestly. "I don't know where the roads lead. I only know... we have to move _forward_."

"Let me get this straight", Zubat summarized. "We're leaving town in a random direction without a plan, or even a guide or trainer to lead us." She shook her head. "You need to rethink this."

"Do you have a better idea?"

"Yes. I _just listed them_. Plan, guide, or trainer."

"We can't do much about the trainer right now", he thought out loud. "Except the obvious." He used a vine to reach Marty's Pokéballs. "We need to release him."

Her head tilted. "Can we do that?"

"Why not? Marty put us in charge. Besides, we've held back on our promise too long now."

"Um... do we have to?" Beedrill said. "Right now?"

"Try to understand", Ivysaur replied gently. "I know how much you like..."

"No. I mean, he can't get out the door without a ball, can he?"

Ivysaur stared blankly. "Oh. Yeah, you're right." Behind him, he could hear Zubat grumbling softly to herself. "We'll take care of that tomorrow morning, then."

"I do not mind that", Arbok agreed.

"We may still need some guidance", he continued. "Do you know anything about the paths out of town? Where they lead?"

The snake raised his eyes toward the ceiling. "Not much. I will tell you what I know. You came from the north. All three roads lead to a town. All three have gyms." He nodded slightly. "That is all I know."

"So we go one of the other two ways, and we're bound to hit a gym. That works." He turned to look at Zubat. "Right?"

She tilted her head. "How do you intend to get into a gym battle? If Marty's..."

Ivysaur smiled. "I know a way." He looked in Marty's direction. "I think I understand why he was disqualified."

"It's obvious", she said bluntly. "He wasn't ordering us."

"Not quite. It's not that he didn't give us orders. It's that he _stopped_ giving them."

As the others stared, he went into his explanation. "Think about it from a human's perspective. He ordered us to fight, and we followed. When he coughed, we managed on our own, but it was clear that it wasn't his doing." He turned to smile at Arbok. "If we try it again, it will be different. He won't give us any orders at all. We'll win the fight by ourselves."

His head turned to face Zubat again. "They won't say that we did it without him. They'll say we were so well-trained that he didn't _need_ to order us."

A few seconds passed as the other Pokémon thought about this.

"The conclusion can easily be drawn", Arbok said. "It could work."

"But... doesn't that defeat the purpose?" Zubat asked hesitantly.

"What?"

"If we can go into a gym and win a battle without his help... why would we bother going with him at all?"

Ivysaur stared at her in disbelief. "We have to. Only trained Pokémon can battle or win badges. And he's our trainer."

She shook her head and returned her gaze to the window. "I wish... I really do... that I could believe that anymore."

"It'll be fine", he tried to reassure her. "We'll be there to help you. Even if he can't."

She didn't reply. As he watched her quietly, Arbok rejoined the conversation. "She is not wrong." He rested his head upon the mattress and stared at Ivysaur and his trainer. "You know your goal. You know how to accomplish it. But you should think about _why_."

"The same reason as always", Ivysaur answered impatiently. "He's going to die. He wanted to be a trainer. I'm giving him what he wanted."

"He still wants it?"

The grass Pokémon laid flat upon the bed. "This would be easier if he did", he sighed grumpily. "We're his only hope now. I shared his purpose with him... and he wants us to lead him to it. At this point... all we can do is the best we can."

"I see." The snake rose up just long enough to strike the room's light switch, and then returned to his curled position on the floor. Darkness filled the room. "May I offer a suggestion?"

"Go ahead."

"You told me of your nightmares. Do not dwell on them. Do not dream of his death. Dream of his life. Dream of your life." He took a breath. "And what you will do... after he is gone."

"I will. Thank you."

"Sleep well."

He did. With Marty at his side, he slept comfortably. He did not dream of Marty's death. He did not dream of impending unhappiness. He most certainly did not dream of a vicious Arbok.

In truth, he did not have any dreams that night.

* * *

By the time morning came, he was fully rested.

He awoke to find himself still safely at Marty's side. Marty hadn't been holding him, but he was calm and didn't seem to have any complications during the night.

"I have come to a decision."

He turned his head away from his master to see Arbok looking down on him from the side of the bed. "This town holds nothing more for me. As you leave, so will I."

"Hm?" Ivysaur said tiredly. "Where are you going?"

"I am not certain. But I know my goal." The snake smiled. "I know I have these moves. I will learn them. Someone must know how. I will begin my search." His attention turned in the direction of the window. "The ghosts are too strong. I must leave them behind."

"That sounds like a plan", the other agreed. "I wish you the best."

"...we will leave at the same time", Arbok continued more hesitantly. "We should travel together."

This confused Ivysaur. "I thought you weren't coming with us."

"In a way, I will not. You will release me." His head turned to face the grass Pokémon again, revealing an expression of barely disguised concern. "I hope you will be successful. I hope you will survive. But I still have fears." He nodded slightly. "I will be able to watch you. You may need help. I will be there. Once I am certain you manage... we part ways." He tried to smile. "Do you accept it?"

"Of course. Never believe that I didn't value your advice. But..." He continued to look at his expression. "Is something wrong? What brought this on?"

"In truth... two things. I thought about our words. I... still have some doubts. I do not want you to fail. As long as I can..."

He was interrupted by the sound of something tapping against the window. The two Pokémon turned to see Beedrill upon the glass. Arbok immediately moved to open it, allowing the insect to enter. "What have you found?"

"I'm sorry", Beedrill sighed. "There's no sign of her."

Ivysaur started. "What are you..." He looked around the room. "Where's Zubat?"

"She asked to go out last night", the snake explained. "She has not returned."

"No!" He was tense now. "We have to go save her!"

Beedrill shook his head. "I just looked. I couldn't find..."

"...save her?"

Ivysaur froze. Did he just say too much? Arbok's expression suggested that he had a few questions. He knew that she didn't want him to say anything, but... if she headed out... the most likely conclusion was that the ghosts...

"...sorry. I panicked", he tried lamely. "Anyway, we should keep looking." He crawled to Marty's side and reached for his Pokéballs. "We should all..."

"Plant", Arbok interrupted, "she does not need saving. She left on her own."

Ivysaur stared at him silently, at least until the true meaning of his words sank in. This was only further verified as he turned his attention back to Marty and the Pokéballs.

A normal red one, a yellow one, and the... odd-colored one that matched his skin.

Three of them.

* * *

A few miles away, there was a place of pitch blackness. Nothing could be seen. Yet voices could be clearly heard.

"I have come."

"You have. Welcome."

The sound of bat wings. The sound of a mechanical container being placed gently on the stony ground.

"I take it... things did not work out."

"You told me to come here if things got worse." A feminine sigh. "Things got worse."

"Of course. Do not worry. We will take care of you."

"...I should have stopped him."

"No. You were right to leave. He must continue on his path, as far as he can."

"He's only going to end up hurt." Another sigh. "I'm sure I did nothing to help that."

"We do not care about his happiness."

A set of glowing eyes in the darkness, shining brightly yet illuminating nothing.

"We care about _yours_."

* * *

"...she didn't even say goodbye..."

A large breakfast alone had not been enough to cheer up the grass Pokémon. It had helped a bit, he supposed. As did Beedrill's assurance that he would never abandon him like that. But his depression was still evident as he slowly walked out of the Pokémon Center for the last time, followed by Arbok, Beedrill and Marty. Only three Pokémon remained in the group now.

It would soon become two.

"This is it", he finally said, turning back to Marty and reaching for his Pokéballs with a vine. "I'm keeping my promise."

"I know", Arbok said calmly. "_Do not worry_. I do not abandon you. I send you off fondly. You have a journey. I want to see you succeed. You should no longer need me."

That was true, Ivysaur considered. But a trainer was usually expected to release his Pokémon into the wild to seek his own goals. Not the other way around.

It was easy to remove the Pokéball from Marty's belt. There weren't very many moving parts on the device, so it took very few tries to figure out the process. In less than two minutes, Arbok had been released.

"...I'm going to miss you", Beedrill said sadly.

"Did you not hear?" the snake asked, before stopping himself. "No. We spoke before you arrived. I am..."

"Going somewhere?"

That was a different voice than usual. This one was breathy and scratchy, and in a way that chilled Ivysaur to his bones. He looked around for the speaker. He couldn't see him.

"Stay low", Arbok suggested in a low hiss, and then spoke again loudly. "What do you want with me?"

"You didn't think you could leave without us seeing you off, did ya?"

Ivysaur followed the orders, but it did nothing to help his confusion. Who was...

Before he knew it, Arbok had lunged into the air. He came to a landing ten feet away, angrily turning in each direction, looking for the responsible party.

And then the responsible party was there, right next to Marty and the less experienced Pokémon. It almost looked like a purple cloud of smoke, but with a solid enough form to make out individual edges. Two hands floated freely, seemingly unconnected to the main body, even though the main body was nothing more than a pair of eyes and a fiendish mouth...

Arbok turned to face it. "Leave them alone!"

"Should I?" the creature replied. "Do you care for them?"

"They have nothing to do with us." The snake approached it slowly. "I do not fear you. No longer. Leave or suffer."

"You don't? Well, that's no fun." It turned to face Ivysaur and Beedrill. "You heard Snakey. Stay here or I may decide to make you regret it." It faced Arbok again. "Prove it. You wanted to fight a ghost, huh? Here I am."

"This is another trick. I know you. Where are the others?"

"Watching. As always." The creature's twisted mouth had no problem resembling a smile. "I'm sure you'd much prefer one-on-one, eh, big boy?"

The snake continued to glare. "Take this seriously."

"Oh, fine, we'll do this the boring way. Lots of rules. I hope I remember them. Um, we hit each other a lot, the fight ends when one of us is knocked out or captured, surrenders are permitted, am I forgetting anything?" It looked at him directly. "Oh, right, of course. If you win, you get to leave. If I win, **you stay here forever.**"

"...you have no control over me."

"Oh. So I don't. In that case, you stay here until you actually win for once, right? But, you know, that doesn't sound spooky enough. I like my way better." It smiled. "And, just to be nice, if it turns out you want to surrender, I'll make sure to stop hurting you, okay? You'll do the same for me, of course."

Arbok slowly nodded. To the side, Beedrill looked around frantically. "Who is this guy? Is he a ghost?"

"Oh, how rude of me. I didn't even introduce myself to the audience." It turned to face the other two. "Hi there. You can call me Haunter. Not that it's my name, but... anyway, you must be Beedrill, and that's... ooh, I get to call you Ivysaur now! That'll be new!" He turned back to the fight. "And you already know Snakey."

Arbok glared. "_Never_ call me that."

"You keep saying that, yet nothing ever changes." Haunter did a few mock-pulling up his sleeve motions, despite the obvious lack of arms. "Well, shall we start our fight now?"

The snake sighed loudly. "If we must." His eyes squinted. "I will enjoy this."

"So you will. Begin."

Arbok lunged forward. Haunter disappeared for a mere second, only to reappear next to Marty and the other Pokémon. "I surrender."

The snake rose angrily and glared at him again. "_What?_"

"I said I surrender. My heart really isn't into it. I lose." He looked up into the sky in a mocking manner. "But that's odd. I thought I said I could only lose by KO or capture. And I'm not really knocked out... well, I mean, other than being a ghost and all, but still... I guess you must've captured me, right?"

The other Pokémon continued to advance. "_You..._"

"Uh-uh-uh, you heard the rules. No attacking after surrender. Besides, you wouldn't want to abuse your new Pokémon, would you?" He faced the others. "Well, it looks like I'm stuck with ya for the moment. Don't worry, I'll manage. Nice to meet you. I already introduced myself, right?"

Arbok's voice became a shout. "_What is the meaning of this?!_"

Haunter grinned. "Isn't it obvious? I've been watching you guys for a while. Just like the others, of course. I've never seen Snakey train anyone before, you know that?" He nodded his head. "I know what you're up to. It looks like fun. I want in."

"_No._"

"Aw, and after our big fight and all... and I was even being nice enough to let you leave freely..."

Arbok shook his head. "I mean, no. I am not part of their group." Now he was grinning slightly. "Your loss means nothing. Only the plant can decide."

"Ivysaur, huh? Not the human? Heh... of course not." He floated down in front of Ivysaur's face, which continued to show confusion at the whole situation. "What do you say? Want me to come along?"

The answer was quick. "Yes."

"You heard him", Arbok said angrily. "Get out of..." He trailed off. "..._what?!_"

Haunter clapped his hands once. "Oh, goodie! You know, I've never had a trainer before. Not that I don't know things, of course. But still..."

Arbok was at Ivysaur's side in seconds. "_What are you doing?_ Do you know _what_ he is?"

The grass Pokémon nodded. "A ghost Pokémon. He hasn't harmed us over the past few days. He wants to come with us... which is more than I can say for some. We have very little chance of defeating him, unless Zubat is here, _and she isn't_. And doesn't that mean he's an even safer option against ghosts who _might_ want to hurt us? Ghosts are strong against ghosts..."

"...it is hard to believe. You remember so much I have taught. Yet you easily miss the obvious." He leaned in. "He is a _ghost_. He _torments us_. He is _using_ you. He _just tricked us_, and you _watched it_."

Beedrill jumped into the conversation here. "A few days ago, we met a giant hungry poisonous snake who wanted to eat us..." Hearing it, Ivysaur couldn't help but grin.

"You are making a mistake", Arbok grumbled. "But I will let you make it. It is your right."

"He raises a good point", Ivysaur said as he looked directly at the ghost again. "Can we really trust you?"

"No", he responded immediately. "But you'll want me along anyway."

"Really? Why?"

"Which gym are you going to?"

Beedrill looked at the others questioningly. "Did we ever pick one?"

The ghost moved to Marty's side and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Much as I'd love to see you in the Fuchsia gym, you should go to Saffron." He gestured with the other hand. "Sooner or later."

"Why?"

"You're not getting anywhere if you don't beat the psychics. And you're gonna want a ghost for that."

Ivysaur looked at the other two. Arbok continued to look disgusted. Beedrill's expression was hard to figure out. But, in truth, the decision was up to him...

"It's worth trying", he decided. "For now."

"Great! Then..."

"Not yet. If we truly captured you, you need to prove it."

"How?" The ghost smiled again. "If you're talking about a ball, no way. It's not my style. If you want loyalty... hm... I never liked that word... let me try this." He tried to look sincere. "I like what you're doing. I want to see it happen. There's _no way_ I'm gonna do anything to ruin it. Any chance I can help... great! Just... you know, don't _demand_ anything from me." He winked. "You got the wrong guy for that."

Ivysaur wasn't sure if he liked that attitude or not. Trainers needed _reliable_ Pokémon, not the kind who weren't willing to commit. On the other hand, he was being... fairly honest, if nothing else, about it. Being left out in the cold by someone like him would be considerably less painful than if someone like Zubat...

"...if we ask you to leave, will you do it?"

"Hm?" Haunter widened an inquisitive eye. "Well, I could. I'm not sure you can _keep me away _or anything, though."

"We'll find a way if we have to."

"You will? Really, if you do, I'd love to see it." He grinned again. "Is that everything? Are we set to go?"

Arbok shook his head. "I will not travel with him."

"Oh, don't be like that, Snakey. You wouldn't leave 'em behind just 'cause of me, would you?"

"Huh?" Beedrill's expression was confused. "You were going to come along?"

"I will leave whenever I desire", the snake intoned. "Understand this. He makes the decision _much_ easier."

"We wouldn't want that", Haunter smirked. "Trust me, you won't even notice I'm here." And to punctuate his remark, he faded into seeming nothingness next to them.

"...I can only hope", Arbok concluded. He turned his attention to the others. "He is your responsibility. Are you following his course?" At Ivysaur's nod, he nodded as well. "Then lead the way."

Ivysaur blinked. "I don't know the way to... he said it was called Saffron?"

"It's west", the same ghostly voice remarked from thin air. "Away from the sun. Follow the road."

With the course laid out, the grass Pokémon led the way. Beedrill followed closely above, while Arbok kept pace with Marty. The fifth member remained out of sight, though everyone knew he was most likely not far...

"...wait... we're missing someone." Haunter's voice sounded confused. "Where's the bat?"

"She... left us..." Beedrill replied sadly.

"That's a shame. I kinda liked her. I wanted to chat with her some more, you know?"

Ivysaur nodded slowly to himself. Of course. Despite her frequent complaints, he had enjoyed spending time with her. He wasn't sure why. Considering how much time she had spent talking to the ghosts, they probably felt the same...

Arbok stopped suddenly. "_Some more?_"

* * *

As the sun continued to rise behind them, Ivysaur and Beedrill found themselves staying further ahead of the others than expected. Anyone would, if they had to deal with Arbok's current disposition.

"She _betrayed_ me..."

Beedrill had assured him that he knew nothing about her actions. Ivysaur had been forced to resort to a half-truth: he had never known where she was going when she headed out.

Still, he felt, he had to say something to defuse the situation. "Maybe she had a reason..."

"It was my _chance!_ My time to come out ahead! It was _ruined!_"

"I thought you said..."

Arbok turned his head back in the direction of town. "Look at me! I am leaving my home! My only home! I am _running away! I have lost!_"

Ivysaur's voice faltered slightly. "Weren't you going to... find help? With your moves?"

"It will not work! They have a _spy_ following me! They _always have!_" He was visibly shaking now. "He is replacing her! That is all! They will never leave me alone!"

Beedrill turned around in midair. "Why is this taking so long?" he asked.

That had been a non sequitur. Arbok looked up angrily. "What?"

"...sorry. It's just... we go faster than this most of the time."

The slithering came to a stop. "Do not bother slowing for me! I will go the other way!" He turned in the opposite direction. "Accursed ghosts... they have not seen..."

"You're leaving us now?" the ghostly voice piped in. "We didn't even make the next town yet! But... oh well. Go right ahead. I'm sure they'll miss you."

"You can shut your..."

"_Hold on a moment!_" Ivysaur turned to face them, taking a deep breath and trying to keep himself from yelling. "Have you paid attention to a word he's said?"

Arbok glared. "I have heard enough from them! It has been over a year!"

"He's coming with _us. Not you._ He is _not_ here because of you."

"Seriously", Haunter's voice said. "Is it so hard to believe that someone else is more fun than you?"

"You can stop making it worse", Ivysaur said to the empty air. "Could we please not..."

"...I think it's Marty", Beedrill finished.

This diverted everyone's attention to the human. And now that they were watching him, it was clear that something was wrong. He was taking cautious steps and partially losing his balance when he tried to move faster. If they had been matching his pace...

Ivysaur sighed. "Now what's wrong?"

"I don't know", Beedrill said. "Maybe he needs to rest."

"Whatever it is, he shouldn't be walking right now. Maybe we could..."

He had a sudden thought. Cautiously, he approached Arbok's side. The large snake had yet to calm down. "How strong are you?"

An impatient headshake from the larger Pokémon. "Not strong enough. If these ghosts..."

"I mean... do you think you could carry Marty?"

This got his attention. "I can lift him. He could fit on my body. Yet he would fall easily."

Ivysaur did some quick thinking. "Maybe not..." Using a vine around his wrist, he led Marty to Arbok's side. With a quick motion, he scaled the scales until he was standing on his back. With a bit of coaxing and lifting, Marty straddled his tail as well.

Then came the hard part. With some careful vine motions, he managed to get Marty to move higher on Arbok's body and lie flat on his back. Next, he rested on Marty's chest, making sure that he wasn't too bulky. He didn't need to convince Marty to hold him; he did that automatically.

Finally he wrapped his vines tightly around the two, thus binding Marty to the snake's back.

This last part surprised Arbok, causing him to jump slightly. This served as a perfect test; Ivysaur and the human stayed attached and were not in a position to be flattened. Ivysaur smiled. "We aren't too heavy, are we? You should be able to make Saffron in good time."

"Am I going to Saffron?" the snake questioned, his impatience not having lifted completely.

"I was hoping."

"It won't be the same without you", the ghostly voice once again intoned.

Arbok shook his head angrily. This did not affect his passengers. "I will go... on _one condition_. The trip may take some time. I need to remain calm. For my own good, and for yours." His eyes became a glare. "Not _one word_ from the ghost. If he speaks, I leave."

There was a brief moment of silence, before Ivysaur spoke again. "I think he might be agreeing."

"Very well. I have never done this. It may be uncomfortable." With a bit of effort, he picked up speed as he bore his load to the west.

Beedrill continued to hover at his side, but his eyes appeared thoughtful. "Um..." he asked. "If you don't mind... can I ride, too?"

Arbok tried to smile. "You may."

* * *

The trip took a while, but it was largely uneventful. Certainly, no trainers challenged the group. Not that Ivysaur could watch for them, anyway. He had tied himself in such a way that all he could see was Marty's legs and Arbok's tail.

A few minutes later, Haunter reappeared. He kept a steady pace with the snake, but said nothing. Instead, he reached out a disembodied hand toward his tail.

"Why do you keep doing this?" Ivysaur asked in a frustrated tone. "Hasn't he suffered enough?"

The ghost opened his mouth, but said nothing. Instead, he moved closer to Ivysaur, gestured toward his mouth, and then gestured toward the grass Pokémon. Without warning, his hand flew toward him, grasped his head, and then seemingly began to sink into it. A chill ran down Ivysaur's spine for a moment, and then he heard words.

**Can you hear me?**

"Yes", he replied. "What are you doing?"

**Snakey doesn't want me to talk. Is this better?**

Ivysaur sighed. "He doesn't like that name. You know that."

**But... it's his name.**

"Of course", Arbok muttered. "I should have expected it." He raised his voice slightly. "Talk to him if you must. But keep your voice down."

"I've never heard it before", Ivysaur replied in a more quiet voice.

**Trust me. It's his name. At least, his trainer called him that.**

"Even more reason why you shouldn't. You know how much he hated him."

"Um..." Beedrill interrupted as he continued to grip onto Arbok's back above them. "What's going on? You keep talking..."

**That's hardly a surprise. What that human did... that was low. Snakey didn't deserve it.** Haunter smiled. **He's lucky to know us.**

Ivysaur stared at him. "...what? He hates you!"

**Pfft. He always acts like that. We're used to it. Better than how he was.**

"How he was?"

**We found him in a pile on the road later that week. Half starved to death.**

Ivysaur thought back. Arbok had mentioned that, hadn't he? After he had been abandoned, he was miserable and waiting for death...

**If we hadn't cheered him up, he'd be dead now. Look at him now. Can't imagine anyone could call him weak, right?**

"Cheered him up?"

**Toyed with him, teased him, stuff like that. Fun stuff. Everyone in town's used to it.**

Ivysaur looked at him skeptically. "Uh... have you noticed how few people live in that town?"

**Let them run. See if we care. Everyone who's still there is used to it.**

"You're missing the..."

_**You are. **_**It's simple. If you live in Lavender, it means we like you and you like us. Everyone else is gone by now. **The ghost winked. **He was free to go whenever he wanted.**

"It didn't sound like it to me. I mean, you challenged him."

**You left town all the time. As for Snakey... heh, so did he. But that didn't mean **_**we didn't follow**_**.**

Before Ivysaur could react, he continued. **Until now, I guess. It's agreed. It's time to let go. And between you and me... he'll make it on his own now. If he notices, anyway. We'll see if **_**he **_**can let go.**

Ivysaur shook his head. "Sounds like something you should be telling _him_."

**Maybe I will. Or maybe he should get over it.** He smirked. **He doesn't want to listen to me, remember?**

"You really don't notice, do you?" The grass Pokémon winced. "You've been _hurting_ him. He only stayed around so he could_ get his revenge_. You call it fun, but he has suffered for...

**Two questions. When someone weaker than you wants to hurt you, do you let him win?** **And when he goes out hunting for food, do you stop him?**

Haunter looked surprisingly serious as he asked those questions. He decided to be equally serious. "I'd say no to both."

**That's what I thought. So why would we ever lose a fight to him? And as long as he was here, why not torment him? We had our fun, and he was easy to terrify with our mere presence. **He licked his lips. **Easy to milk. He's been feeding us for **_**months**_**.**

Ivysaur couldn't turn to look at Arbok. He had to wonder what he was thinking at that moment.

**We knew what he was trying to do. We let him. Good thing. He's better off now. **His eyes narrowed. **It's been a year. If we were a threat, he wouldn't have made it. And if we thought he was a threat... **_**we wouldn't have let him make it**_**.**

He smiled again. **But enough about Snakey. What's **_**your**_** story?**

* * *

By the time the city was visible, it had felt like hours.

Arbok stopped near the city limits, and everyone disembarked. Ivysaur released his vines, which had withstood being rubbed against the road the entire time without injury, and Marty slid off to a seated position on the ground.

This was it. This would be their next test. Had they improved enough to win the next gym battle? Could they ensure that Marty would be deemed worthy of a badge? Would this bring him the happiness that he desperately needed? There was only one way to find out.

Ivysaur looked at the others. "We need a plan when we go in. Where's Haunter?"

The others looked around cautiously. After a moment, they all came to the same conclusion. There seemed to be no sign of the ghost.

"...there's not much we can do about that, is there?"

Arbok remained suspicious. "He wanted you to come here. Do not forget that. He is up to something."

Beedrill sighed. "I wish everyone would stop leaving. Why can't they at least..."

He was drowned out by Arbok's sudden roar of terror. As he thrashed around, Ivysaur was finally able to make out Haunter holding onto his body just below the hood. "_Release me!_"

Ivysaur stared at the scene in surprise, until he remembered. "Um... maybe he'll let go if you let him talk?"

"_ARGH! You accursed..._" His writhing eventually slowed to a halt, and he lay flat against the ground. "I am sick of this. It does not end..."

"Heh... just thought you'd want a hug for your help", Haunter said with a smile. "Wanted to practice, too. If I freak out the psychics, we'll get the first hit, right?"

"Is that allowed?" Ivysaur asked.

"They might think it's low. But really, it's fair if I'm the one coming in."

"Sounds like you've planned the whole..."

Ivysaur cut himself off as soon as he noticed that Arbok was crawling away again. "Hey, come on! He didn't mean anything by it!"

The snake didn't turn. "I gave him two chances. It is two more than he deserved."

"...but..."

"I will not be fooled again." He turned his head slightly, but his tone didn't improve. "I leave him to you. Do well in your battles. I wish you the best." That said, he continued back down the path they had traveled.

Beedrill flew a bit in his direction. "You don't have to..."

"Let him go", Haunter muttered. "If Snakey can't take the heat..."

Ivysaur stomped angrily. "I'd like to _keep_ a few partners, you know!"

"He was gonna leave on his own." The ghost gestured toward the town. "We don't need him for the fight, anyway. Pure poison against psychics? Kinda dumb. I have a better plan."

The grass Pokémon grumbled. "You'd better not be trying to trick me..."

"Didn't I say I wanted you to win?" He smiled. "Grass is okay, not great. You can pick off the last one if we need it. The real trick's to have a bug."

Beedrill looked at him. "You think so?"

"I _know_ so. Problem is, you're poison and they can hurt you badly. You gotta hit 'em hard and fast. You beat them to the punch, we're gonna win. If not, I'll clean up. Sound like a plan?"

"And what about Marty?" Ivysaur asked.

"His job's easy. Call back the bee if he needs it. I know you can do that. I've seen you do it. So, we're set?"

Ivysaur nodded hesitantly. Beedrill, however, was silent. After a few seconds of thoughtful staring, he turned toward Ivysaur and hovered in his direction.

"I'm sorry", he said in a depressed voice. "I'm sorry for everything that ever happened to you."

The grass Pokémon wasn't sure how to respond. This had been sudden. "Why? What's wrong?"

"All that time back in town, you were worrying about Marty, weren't you? I know... you got mad a few times, and you were so sad, and... I mean, I feel sorry for him too, but you know him better than I do." His eyes moistened. "And everyone else acted like they could push him around. Maybe I did, too. I hope I didn't."

Ivysaur shook his head. "You don't need to worry. I told you. It's not your fault."

The insect wasn't done. "I never knew how much it hurt. Not until now. To lose a trainer... right when it matters the most... and see how little the others care."

His eyes moistened. "If I can win this fight, it's because of him. He's the one who taught me how to be strong. Everyone else helped, but... it doesn't mean anything if he's not there to see it, you know?"

Ivysaur instinctively looked up at Marty. The human didn't notice. And every time he didn't, he realized, it hurt him inside...

Beedrill's voice became angry. "This is my big fight, and I want Arbok to be there to see it. If he isn't... _I'm not fighting._"

A brief pause.

"It's too late for that", Haunter argued. "He couldn't stay. He told you he couldn't. You need to learn to go on without him."

"He _could_ stay!" the bee shouted. "He came all this way to support us! The only reason he's gone is because _you were such a damn jackass to him!_"

Ivysaur stared silently in his direction, eyes widened. Haunter didn't. "_He's_ the one who refused to get along with me!"

"_You're_ the one who wouldn't leave him alone!"

"I do that to _everybody! _If he can't handle it, it's his fault!"

"Both of you were at fault", Ivysaur interrupted in a stern voice. "The thing is, he was willing to tone down his habits for our sake. Why can't you?"

The ghost looked at him, and then back at the insect. "I can't believe this! If you can't take what I'm doing, how in the world are you going to last against your enemies?"

Ivysaur took a deep breath. "We don't _have_ to take what they do. We can fight back. But _you're_ supposed to be on _our_ side."

"Then you..."

"If you don't bring Arbok back, he's not going to fight. And _neither will I_."

Haunter tilted downward to look at the ground, shaking his head. "You know, I thought this was gonna be _fun_."

Beedrill nodded. "We never said it couldn't be."

"You aren't being too fun right now."

"Neither were you", Ivysaur replied. "If he thought it was fun, he would have stayed."

Haunter looked up again. "It's not happening. I have a reputation to maintain."

"It's not a very good one", Beedrill muttered.

The ghost glared at him. "As far as everyone's concerned, we _own_ Lavender. Do you know _why?_" He pointed at himself with one hand. "Because everyone there plays by _our_ rules. If they can't, they don't stay." He clasped his hands. "I'm not gonna let them call me the one who plays nice."

The bee looked confused. "Um... you never did anything to _us._"

"I don't know how that happened. Your Zubat asked, and for some reason, everyone listened. Believe me, that's not normal. I can't explain it. Maybe they thought she was hot."

Ivysaur thought about this. "So... you _don't_ know everything the ghosts do."

"Hate to say it, but yeah. We don't agree on everything. That only happens rarely, and trust me, you don't want to be there when it does. I do, of course. Anyway..." He shrugged. "The point is..."

"We're not in Lavender." The grass Pokémon walked toward him. "You said we captured you. And when you're captured, you obey your trainer's wishes."

Haunter smirked. "What trainer?"

Ivysaur turned to look up at Marty, and then returned his attention to Haunter. "He put all of us in charge. As far as I'm concerned, it's a consensus. And you're outvoted."

The ghost grumbled softly to himself. "No fun at all..."

Beedrill's eyes lit up. "We can have some fun. Really. But... we just need to agree how to do it."

"Of course, you'll be wanting your Snakey back first..." Haunter shook his head. "He'll never come back. He won't listen to me."

Ivysaur smiled. "If we want him back, he _needs_ to listen to you. And..." He pondered for a bit. "I'm pretty sure if he wants to listen to any of us, it's Beedrill. You should both go find him." He nodded. "You can fly. You're fast. You can track him down easily."

"What about you?" Beedrill asked.

"Marty and I will stay here." He moved next to the human. "We wouldn't be able to keep up."

* * *

It had probably only been minutes since they started waiting. To Ivysaur, it felt like hours. He was already resting against Marty's side, eyes closed...

"...cuse me..."

Ivysaur opened his eyes again. As his vision refocused, he saw another young human and a yellow bipedal Pokémon next to him. He didn't recognize it.

"...um... excuse me... are you waiting for a battle? Cause if you are..."

Probably not, he thought. Nobody had come back yet. He glanced up at Marty, who was still staring into space. Great. He wasn't paying attention.

"...guess not. Come on."

The boy was already walking further down the road out of town. The yellow Pokémon didn't move, instead continuing to stare at the pair.

"Is there something you want?" Ivysaur asked impatiently.

**I don't mean to pry**, a voice said in his head. **I was merely curious. I couldn't tell if he was still alive.** With that, the other Pokémon turned and followed the child.

A few moments later, the boy turned, pulled out a Pokéball, and recalled him. He then moved to the side of the road with a fearful expression on his face. Seconds later, Ivysaur figured out why.

Haunter soared in from the same direction and came to a stop in front of the grass Pokémon. "Heh. I still got it. Nobody'd want to pit a psychic against me." He nodded his head. "Good news for you. We got him to come back. It'll take him a few minutes to get here."

"...a psychic", Ivysaur quietly considered.

"Here's the thing, though. I'm not good at apologizing or anything. And... uh... I can't really tell how much you can take, so... uh... you're gonna have to tell me if you think I'm..."

He trailed off. The other Pokémon wasn't paying attention to him. He was too busy looking at Marty. "If he can't tell..."

"Uh... is something up with him?"

"I have no idea", Ivysaur answered. "I can't tell. I'm not a psychic."

"Hmm. Let me try." Haunter moved in front of Marty. Without warning, he started making goofy faces and expressions in his direction. After a few seconds, he started throwing in loud nonsense shouts. If the human was paying attention, he wasn't showing it.

The ghost came to a slow stop. "That didn't work. Um... let me try this, then." His mouth widened greatly, revealing a comically oversized tongue. And before Ivysaur knew it, Haunter had licked Marty's face.

"Was that really necessary?" he asked.

Haunter continued to look at Marty, and then turned to answer. His expression wasn't as upbeat now. "We got a problem." He averted his eyes slightly and appeared to be lost in thought for a moment. "He's not reacting to anything."

Ivysaur's eyes widened. "You're sure?"

"That lick's how we feed most of the time. They're supposed to be frozen with fear, ripe for our taking." He shook his head. "Not even a shudder. I don't think he's awake."

"Awake?" Ivysaur moved closer to his master. He could still see breathing. Marty certainly wasn't dead or anything... and yet...

"You think he's sleeping?"

Haunter turned away for a moment, hand upon the bottom of his chin. "No. Worse." In a quick motion, he spun and struck Marty in the head with his fist, knocking him flat on his back. "If he was sleeping, he'd be awake now."

Ivysaur jumped between the two immediately. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Look at him! Did he flinch? Is he in pain? Is he even trying to get up?" The ghost pounded the ground with the disembodied fist. "He's gone. His senses are shot."

"_No!_" The grass Pokémon wrapped his vines around the human quickly. "He's not dead yet! There's still a chance! Quick, help me lift him!"

"Where to? You think maybe a psychic can help?"

"...no. If that one psychic couldn't tell..." He looked around. "Where's the nearest hospital?"

"I don't know."

"Then start looking. The faster we find it, the better."

"Um..." Haunter was shaking his head again. "If I were you, I wouldn't."

Ivysaur was glaring now. "_Why not?_"

"Uh... putting it simply... if I heard right, he's dying from poison, right? The instant we drag him into the place, there's gonna be questions." He sighed. "I don't want _anyone_ thinking I did this, got it?"

"I _know_ you didn't. But we still have to help him!"

"_You_ know that. They won't. And if you can't tell, we're gonna be the suspects."

"Huh?" Ivysaur looked at Marty more carefully. "I wouldn't say that. If anyone's going to look suspicious, it's Beedrill. Maybe Arbok. We'll just explain ourselves..."

"And they'll think we were in on it. That's just the way they think."

The grass Pokémon paced slightly as he considered this. "You might have a point. If they see a ghost bringing him in..."

"I'll be lucky if they call me a ghost. That, I can deal with."

"...uh... what?"

Haunter looked at him coldly. "I'm a ghost. You know that. Everyone knows that. I do ghost stuff all the time. But that's not good enough for them. As soon as someone sees me and says 'hey, isn't that a poison type?'..."

That was new information. "You don't act like a poison type."

"I know I don't. I couldn't poison anyone if I tried. It's too bad _they_ don't know that."

"Okay. I understand. So we'll..."

"Hey!" That was Beedrill's voice. The two Pokémon turned to face him as he flew toward them quickly. He smiled. "Did he tell you? Arbok's going to be here for the fight!"

The two didn't say anything.

"...uh... is something wrong?"

"This isn't going to work", Ivysaur said. "We don't want him to be seen with either of you. Arbok, either. So... I guess that means I need to bring him in."

"Huh?" Beedrill looked at him, a hint of fear in his eyes. "Something didn't happen to Marty, did it?"

"We just went over this", Haunter emphasized. "None of us can. Forget about it."

"Why? I've taken him to a hospital before."

"Hospital?" Beedrill looked between the two frantically.

The ghost shook his head. "You got lucky. Maybe if they knew you were his Pokémon... I don't think they'll buy it this time. Don't risk it."

"But I'm a starter!" Ivysaur protested. "Why would they suspect me?"

"Starter, not a starter, it's all gonna be poison to them."

This was starting to get on his nerves. "Not if they don't see you, it won't!"

"They only have to see one."

"And that's why it's going to be him", Beedrill interrupted. "He's the grass type!"

"Yes, but he's..." Haunter's argument stopped as he looked at the other two Pokémon. His expression was that of someone who had just realized something significant. "You really don't know, do you?"

The other two looked at each other. "Know what?"

"...and all this time, I thought you actually _planned _this", he admitted. He moved closer to Ivysaur, eyes locked on him. "Fact is, you're a dual type. Most starters aren't. Not at first, anyway. But 'saurs like you... you're two types. Grass... and poison."

"...are you serious?" Beedrill asked. "So all this time..."

Ivysaur remained silent. In most other situations, he would have suspected that the ghost was playing a trick on him. But after the recent arguments, and his apparent interest in making sure everything kept going, and his admission to being the same type... he felt like he had to believe it.

Ignorance was no excuse. He had to accept it. Even he was a poison type.

If he had found out days ago, this might have bothered him. But the truth was, he'd been spending his entire journey with partners that he knew were poisonous, and he had long since learned to accept them. Or, at least, the ones that deserved it. Beedrill was nice, and he knew better than to poison everyone to death. Arbok... he could at least believe that he would save his venom for those targets that he intended to eat. Haunter... no matter what he thought of him, he had said that he preferred to think of himself as a ghost anyway.

He was still a grass type. If he had any poisonous moves, he hadn't been relying on them. Arbok would have helped him with them, anyway. In all honesty, when he thought about it... he could accept this.

He was a poison type. And yet... it really didn't matter, did it?

"You see the problem now?" Haunter asked. "A bunch of poisonous Pokémon, dragging around a human that's dying of poison? They'll assume the obvious. I'm serious. Don't risk it."

"What else can we do?" Ivysaur asked. "We can't just let him die! Not now!" In a quick motion, he turned to run in the direction of the city. Someone there would be able to help. Even now. Despite his type.

He only made it a few steps before he found himself being held. Firmly, by a pair of skinny forelegs ending in stingers. Beedrill's large red eyes were now blocking his vision. "I'm sorry", the insect said in a voice somewhere between depressed and reassuring. "I think... they were right. He... he's been dying this whole time, hasn't he? This is just... the end of it."

"_No!_" Ivysaur tried to struggle. "It can't end like this! We have so much more..."

The arms held him tighter. "It _shouldn't_ end like this... but... it did."

"_Please! Let me go! There's still time! We can..._"

"Will you please stop that?" Beedrill asked impatiently as he tried to maintain his grip. "This is hard for me, too! But we have to... if you keep doing that, you might get stung! Please stop!"

"Then _let go!_"

"Even if he does", Haunter commented from the side, "it won't matter much."

Beedrill finally let go. Ivysaur took a few deep breaths and checked Marty again. Still flat on his back. Still breathing. But still not moving or reacting...

"I know", he said, "but... I have to do _something _for him."

The ghost blinked a few times. "You... what? No, I wasn't talking about that. I meant his poison." He gestured with one hand. "That sting's not gonna kill you or anything. I mean... you've _already_ got poison in your body, right?"

Beedrill tilted his head. "Is that true?"

Ivysaur looked up from Marty's body, thinking. "Is that why Arbok said we didn't need antidotes?"

"Sounds right", Haunter agreed. "Seriously, everyone in your little group's been a poison type. Even the bat. I mean, I thought you were working toward a theme there..."

"Wait. Wait, wait, wait!" Ivysaur's body had become tense again. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "You mean to tell me that..."

"Pretty much. You've been one big poison club."

"_Not that!_ You're saying... _I was never poisoned in the first place?!_"

Beedrill looked at him suddenly, visibly understanding what he meant. Haunter didn't notice. "Can't imagine why you would be."

Ivysaur stared down at Marty again. He had a great deal to think about. That one incident... it was responsible for everything that had happened to Marty... and to him. But... if he had been wrong about it...

...how _had_ it started?

* * *

_Marty and his faithful Pokémon continued on their journey along the path that connected Viridian City and Pewter City. They had not gotten far; Bulbasaur had taken the time to battle the creatures he met along the way._

_(We are predators...)_

_The Pokédex, having previously been used to explain the properties of a new move he had learned, gave a brief description of the beelike creature they were now facing. Marty took notice, and instructed Bulbasaur to attack, trying out his new Vine Whip in the process._

_(If it's a bug, grass isn't that good against it... right?)_

_The Beedrill, however, did not dodge. Instead, he landed the first hit, spitting a sticky substance upon him. It was enough to immobilize him as the insect slowly drifted away, speaking only a single word to him. "Leave."_

_(If I want someone to leave... I want to scare him off. Maybe hit him. I don't want to go all out. I don't want to poison him.)_

_It was not enough. Bulbasaur had managed to rise, shaking off the adhesive, as he followed the retreating insect angrily. Before long, he had lost sight of the path, and instead discovered, in the distance, what appeared to be a nest of some sort. And as soon as he saw it, he was being blocked by three other Beedrills, backing up the original one._

_(When attackers come, they defend us. They're the ones that get picked off if they lose.)_

_It didn't stop him. He was too angry. And he attacked._

_(But... it's not gonna do us any good to start a war with the locals.)_

_The battle was too quick to remember the details. Four bees against one plant. One of them didn't even need to get involved._

_(When someone weaker than you wants to hurt you, do you let him win?)_

_And that's when Marty arrived. Bulbasaur didn't see his approach, but he heard it. And he heard his shout of surprise, and the running footsteps..._

_(Trainers are useless if they lose fights. Trainers need to not fight.)_

_And the instant he came into view... one of the Beedrills..._

_(We don't usually attack trainers. We don't want them to have a reason to strike back. But... the babies needed to be protected...)_

_But still, in the end, the two had survived. But not without receiving a noticeable wound... each..._

_(A Beedrill's poison sting. That's not a very strong attack, is it?)_

_Marty hadn't even noticed his own injury. He was instead paying attention to Bulbasaur, first ensuring that he didn't need a potion immediately, and then decided to check for poison. And indeed, the Pokédex found it._

_(I mean... you've already got poison in your body, right?)_

_So out came the antidote. The only one in his bag. And he gave it to Bulbasaur, hoping to treat his injury._

_(Antidotes? We have no use for them.)_

_And that's when Bulbasaur noticed that his own trainer had received a similar injury. And in what he hoped was a selfless gesture, he offered to share it with him..._

_(It's not designed for human consumption.)_

_...and then the collapsing... and the dragging... and the nurses..._

It all began to come together for Ivysaur. And he wondered why he had never noticed it before.

The whole situation had been a tragic mistake. An overly aggressive attempt at Pokémon battling... against a group of highly territorial opponents... and the defense quickly became offensive...

...and to help it along, a long string of poor decisions. Showing little understanding of Pokémon training, the roles of everyone involved, the nature of the world around them, and even complete lapses of judgment.

That was the honest truth, wasn't it? Both sides could claim fault, but the ones truly responsible for Marty's injury... were Marty and his Bulbasaur.

Some of them had been beginner mistakes. Some of them... not even beginners would make. None of them befit anyone who expected to win a tournament. Especially not the Pokémon League.

After making mistakes like those, there were only two possible outcomes. They could have either survived and continued on their travels, learning from their errors and becoming stronger... or they could have paid for their actions with their lives.

It could have easily been either one. If Marty hadn't suffocated from the antidote and collapsed, perhaps he could have walked back to town quickly enough to get himself treated before the damage became irreversible. Or maybe they would have remained lost and dead in the forest, if not for a lone anonymous Pokémon who showed pity on the pair.

But somehow, in the end, the consequences wound up somewhere in the middle. Marty was still alive, and yet... not. He would never recover. His health would only deteriorate. In under a month, he would be dead, and as it turned out, he had started running into major life-destroying complications far sooner than that.

_(He is in no position to travel or earn badges, understand?)_

If Ivysaur had known... maybe he would have stopped. The two could have waited for his mother. Even now, he had to wonder exactly what she thought of his disappearance.

_(Our babies are very important to us. You have to understand that.)_

But in spite of everything, he had looked so healthy and hopeful, and he had kept his beloved Pokémon at his side. It was only a temporary illusion. But it had worked. And somehow, it had convinced him that he could keep going... and keep training... and keep winning... and keep living... despite all evidence to the contrary...

...and now he knew that _none of it was true..._

"Is he okay?"

Ivysaur slowly looked up, reacquainting himself with the location. His head had been resting on Marty's chest, leaving his shirt soaked from the downpour of tears, which were now redirected to the ground next to him. On one side, Saffron City, the location of their next gym battle... a battle that would no longer come. On the other side, the other Pokémon of his group. Beedrill... and Haunter... and Arbok. Who had apparently come all the way back here, only to see him like this...

He shook his head. "Let's go."

Beedrill looked back at Arbok, and then faced him again. "Go where?"

"Away. It's over. We're done. There's nothing more we can do. Our journey ends here." He turned to the side and headed down the road away from the city.

"...and it never should have started."

_**When you're done, another life has ended  
**__**Are you proud? Do you feel satisfied?**_

* * *

**Author's Note:**

And thus the life of Marty comes to a close. In many ways, it was inevitable.

It's harder than I thought to write the kinds of characters that make for a good tragedy. I hope I succeeded. Sometimes it's hard to distinguish between a flawed character and a flawed narrative.

For instance, in writing Marty, I had to continually drop hints that he was not particularly competent, or teach lessons that went against his actions, while writing from the perspective of a character that idolized him. The whole time. Even the first scene was nothing more than giving an antidote to a poison Pokémon.  
(The reviewers noticed. I only hope that everyone doesn't assume I didn't do my research.)

As for the others, I'll let their actions speak for themselves.  
Particularly Ivysaur.  
But come to think of it, Marty isn't actually the main character, anyway...

* * *

**No.**

Several miles away, under the setting sun, things moved. Shadows flitted. They came together in one place, and then headed a short distance to the south.

**You have yet to comprehend what you have started.**

The shadows came to a stop. Eventually, they grouped into a huddle at the center of the area. Confusion was rampant among them, but soon they would know why they were here.

**Your actions have brought you this far. It is too late to stop.**

They moved away from the center, leaving a large amount of empty space.

A moment later, it was filled. A larger shadow, towering over the others, now existed in their presence.

**There is no hope for the human. But you must keep going. Your goal beckons, as does mine.**

**It is time to intervene.**


	7. End

The sun slowly moved out of sight, coloring the sky with vibrant colors that would soon be replaced by darkness as the long night began.

Aside from the reduced amount of light, this went unnoticed by the three Pokémon on the road. They were traveling in the opposite direction, trying their hardest to keep the comatose human from falling off the giant snake's back. As for their destination...

"Where are we going?" the bee asked.

The plant sighed. "...I don't know..."

"We came from this direction", the snake pointed out. "The road leads to Lavender." He glanced around cautiously. "We should follow another road."

Beedrill shook his head vigorously. "I meant... where do we want to go now? What are we doing?" He looked at Marty's motionless body. "And what do we do with him?"

"You should decide quickly." Arbok turned his head to look at the others on his back. "I will not carry him long."

"...I don't know..." Ivysaur repeated.

The snake slowed to a halt, causing everyone else to do the same, resulting in Ivysaur and Marty sliding off his back to the ground. His eyes remained calm, but his voice lowered to a mutter. "This is precisely what I feared."

"...he's gone... isn't he?" Ivysaur looked at Marty more closely. "If he is... that means... we're free, right? We're wild? We go our own way?" He looked down. "Some of us already did."

Beedrill looked around. "Where's that ghost? I didn't see him leave."

"...does it really matter?" Ivysaur asked. "There's not much reason for him to come back..."

"You're right about that. If he wants fun, this is not the place for..."

"Well, _I'm sorry!_ I'm not feeling very fun right now, either!" Ivysaur laid flat upon his chest. "You should go ahead and leave, too. I'm sure there's something better for you to do out there..."

Beedrill thought to himself briefly. "I guess... there could be, but... I haven't seen it yet." He took off from Arbok's tail to land on the ground. "Before I came along... all I knew was my home. And I can't really go back."

"Why not?" The grass Pokémon closed his eyes. "You shouldn't believe what I said. I was wrong. They're not killers... they just... I guess they're just defensive. I bet they just wanted to protect their young."

"You really think so?"

"For all the good it did them. We abducted one anyway."

"When did that ha-" Beedrill stopped as he caught on to his meaning. "No. Please don't call it that. I'm not here against my will. Really. I had _some _fun."

"Are you nearly done?" Arbok asked impatiently.

"But..." Beedrill moved around Ivysaur and tried to catch his attention. "The thing is... there were some bad times, but you and Marty kinda raised me. Even before he showed up. And we were going to that league..." He tried to lift Ivysaur's chin with the side of an arm stinger. "...it's kinda funny. With all the things Marty said to me, even before he got so bad... I don't think he ever brought it up, did he?"

The grass Pokémon kept his eyes focused on the ground. "He forgot about it. He didn't care about it."

The bee nodded, and his voice became upbeat again. "Yeah. And that's why... as much as you talked about it, I was thinking maybe... _you_ were the one who really wanted to go there?"

"I can't. Did you miss the part where we lost our trainer?"

Beedrill looked up to face Arbok. "Um... how many trainers go to that town? One of them might want to catch us, right?"

Arbok's expression lit up slightly. "It is possible. Trainers of my skill are rare. But you may have more success."

"It won't help", Ivysaur groused. "I promised Marty. _He's_ the one I wanted..."

Beedrill lifted into the air suddenly. "No, you know what we should do? We should go find that other kid. Marty's friend, the one with the lizard?"

"Brandon?" the other asked suspiciously.

"Yeah! Think about it!" The bee stared into space dreamily. "Two friends promise to go to that league. One gets hurt and dies. So the other says he's going to succeed for the both of them. What if he came across his friend's Pokémon, and he took them in and raised them along with his own? All of us, working together, making it to the league, for the memory of Marty?" His red eyes sparkled slightly. "Don't you think he would have wanted that?"

The more Ivysaur thought about it, the more he had to agree with the sentiment. It was a great idea. It was dramatic, it was emotional, it was reasonably possible, and after those earlier fights, he believed that Charmeleon and his partners would become strong enough to make it there. It was almost the perfect plan.

...if only he could.

"I'm sorry. I can't join you." His eyes darted over to Marty's body, and then back at Beedrill. "It sounds nice, though. Go ahead and do that. It'll be good for you."

The insect winced. "...but... it doesn't mean as much if you're not there with us. You were always the one at his side..."

"That's just the problem", Ivysaur tried to explain. "I can't go. I have to stay with him." His expression became guilty. "I mean it. I could only dream of going along with your plan. _Please_ don't let me ruin it for you."

"You will stay with him?" Arbok re-entered the conversation from the side. "For what purpose?"

"I'm still thinking." A quick thought came to mind. "That Starmie said... he can only find comfort in familiar places. He spent a long time in Lavender... if there's any remaining hope for him to die happily, it's there." He gave the snake a pleading look. "I know you don't like it, but... please, can you do that for me?"

He shook his head. "It may not work. He does not react to things. Does he see? No? He will not recognize the town." He took a deep breath. "Try to understand. He is lost. You can do nothing for him."

"...I... you're right, aren't you?" Ivysaur's expression was pained again. "That means... there's only one thing left to do. The only thing we can do."

He moved from Beedrill's side toward Arbok, trying his hardest to remain calm. "You came back for us. I'm glad you did. And after everything you've done... all the help you gave us, and the advice... this didn't work out, but you made the effort, and you made so many sacrifices. So I think... I don't have much to offer, but whatever I can give... you deserve it..."

He turned to the side and backed up, clearing a direct path in Marty's direction. "...go ahead and eat him."

Arbok's eyes softened. A few seconds passed in silence before he turned his head to look at the grass Pokémon again. "You are certain? You will not regret this?"

Ivysaur shook his head sadly. "I can't do anything more for him. I'm out of options. This is where it ends. And... you asked nicely. You wanted him. If it's the last thing I can offer..." He forced a smile. "He's yours."

"Ivysaur..." Beedrill said softly to himself.

Arbok kept his eyes on the plant for a few more moments, and then nodded and slowly slithered in the direction of the human. If he was looking forward to this meal, it was hard to tell; his eyes remained serious and he did not open his mouth in anticipation. He came to a stop, towering over Marty, and then turned once more.

"This will be his end. You will not see him again. I can never undo this."

"I know", Ivysaur assured him. "I've made up my mind. Go ahead. And after you're done with him... you can devour me, too."

Arbok's eyes widened. "You..."

"We made a promise", the grass Pokémon explained with a weak smile. "We'd either succeed together... or fail together. This way... it works out. We'll stay by each other's side to the very end, the trainer and the loy..."

"What are you _talking about?"_

Beedrill was now hovering directly in front of his face, voice trembling, eyes aghast in shock. "_How_ can you say that? You..."

"He's gone. I have nothing left."

"You have _us!_ You have a goal! You want to make it to the league! You got stronger! You evolved!"

"I say it many times", Arbok added in a concerned voice. "He is gone, but you live. He trained you. I trained you. He had to give up. But he wanted you to succeed." His eyes narrowed. "Do _not_ throw yourself away."

"He lost his trainer, too", Beedrill pointed out with a stinger in the snake's direction. "It hurt. But he still made it this far... with some help." The disdain in that last phrase might not have helped his argument. "You can keep going! I know you can! I'll be with you, right? I mean, when you think about it, we both lost a trainer. But... we have each..."

"How could you do this?" Ivysaur suddenly exclaimed. "How could you abandon Marty so easily?"

The insect froze in surprise.

"We belong to him! He made us who we are! Without him, there's nothing for us to hope for! _Why can't you realize that?_"

"...no... that's not true. There's a world out there. All kinds of places and sights and Pokémon and humans and food and things." He shook his stingers. "There's life after Marty!"

The grass Pokémon shook his head. "It's not my world. I don't have the right to enjoy it." He scowled. "And I would _never_ think of taking advantage of my trainer's death to run away!"

"It's not running away! It's _living!_ It's the only thing we can do!"

"I knew how to live! Marty taught it to me!" He frantically turned to glare at Arbok. "_Why_ haven't you eaten us yet? Do it! Now!"

The snake turned his head to look into the distance. "I have lost my appetite."

Ivysaur's eyes welled up as he stared at the dirt path beneath him. "...none of you cared about him. Even after he caught you, you only cared about yourselves. About your own happiness... not his..." His body started shaking. "And to think... I liked you... I liked all of you..."

"_Stop it!_" Beedrill seized him with both arms and held him tightly. "_What's wrong with you?_ This isn't like you at all! I know it hurts, but you have..."

"Let go of me, you idiot!"

"No! Not until you stop this!"

As the argument escalated, Arbok could only shake his head in remorse. He had tried. He had hoped that he could have saved them this time. He knew better than to make the same mistakes again, and he had made his fullest effort to help them. But just like those Pokémon a month ago...

"Sorry I'm late. What did I miss?"

He winced. And he had thought that the moment couldn't have gotten any worse...

Haunter floated up to him, watching the impromptu wrestling match out of the corner of his eye. "Listen. Something came up." He gestured to the path behind him. "Looks like you're all heading back to Lavender."

Arbok couldn't manage a decent glare at him, but he tried. "The possibility was ruled out. At this rate... no one is..."

"No. You didn't hear me right. That wasn't a suggestion." He gave the snake a more direct look. "_You're all heading back to Lavender_."

_Now_ the glare was complete. "You will never make us. Especially not now."

"Listen, you don't understand! Giratina's here!"

To the pair's side, there were a few cries of pain as the younger plant and insect's struggle had started to turn into a fight. Arbok tried to ignore them for the moment. "What is this Giratina? Is it a ghost?"

Haunter's expression showed offense. "It's pretty much **the** ghost!"

"I have never heard of it."

"Of course not. It doesn't live here. It's always in some... weird confusing alternate dimension stuff I don't understand. I mean, _we_ rarely see it." The ghost tried his hardest to look serious. "And it's here. It came to Lavender for _the sole purpose of meeting your group._" A brief pause for emphasis. "_You're going._"

"You are a terrible liar", Arbok said. "I do not pretend to be important. Not even among your friends. Why would a ghost want us? We are not..."

"You stung me!"

The conversation stopped briefly as the other argument grew louder. Beedrill shook his head. "It doesn't matter! It won't poison you! Just listen to me! Stop this!"

"You _stung_ me!"

"Remember what I said", Haunter tried to continue, "about those times when all the ghosts agree about stuff? Yeah, it's that kind of time." He laid a hand on the back of Arbok's hood. For some reason, it felt particularly cold to him. "If I don't bring you back, **someone else will**." He grinned evilly. "And not everybody's as much fun as I am."

"You say he has a reason", Arbok continued slowly, trying to ignore the sensation. "You will tell us..."

He trailed off as Beedrill's body came to a sliding stop next to them.

"...excuse me", Haunter said briefly. He floated to Marty's body and examined it a bit more closely. "Color-coordinated? Good idea." In a quick motion, he removed the light blue Pokéball with a single hand and threw it in Ivysaur's direction.

In one simple capture, the immediate conflict was over.

"Now then", the ghost resumed, "where were we?"

* * *

Ivysaur had often referred to this sensation as "calming" darkness. At the moment, it wasn't working.

It was over. Marty was gone. And he was not lying when he said that there was nothing left for him now.

No one else seemed to understand. Zubat had abandoned him a long time before. Haunter never cared. Arbok made a show of caring, but refused to help him at the moment when he needed him most. And Beedrill...

...the saddest thing about Beedrill was... he _wanted_ to believe him. He wanted to believe there was still hope for him. It could have been so wonderful if he truly could have continued his life... and seen more of what the world had to offer... or maybe even continued on his way to the Pokémon League...

...he couldn't. He had to accept it. His trainer's life, and his own, had come to an end.

Why couldn't the others understand that? Why couldn't they give him this one last release? Why did they keep acting like there was something wrong with him?

Maybe _they_ were the...

The Pokéball opened again, and he was released.

He didn't recognize the location. He was clearly outdoors, and it was visibly night. The ground was largely dirt and grass, with a large number of small stone objects placed in rows. Some had writing. Naturally, he couldn't read any of it.

The more important aspect was the entity that stood in front of him. In this lack of light, he couldn't make out much of it. It looked to be about as tall as Arbok, or maybe even taller. He could make out bright glowing red eyes, and its shape suggested a large number of pointy extremities coming from its body, but otherwise...

**We meet.**

His body went cold. He was having enough difficulty figuring out this being's physical nature. He found it hard to concentrate on its words, or even its purpose...

"Are you afraid?" a familiar voice sounded from behind. Most likely Haunter. "Good. It is to be feared. Listen to it."

Ivysaur realized that the two were not alone. He tried to look for the others, but couldn't bring himself to do it. His gaze remained locked on the larger creature. At best, he could only see the shadows around them. Moving shadows, in greater density than he had ever witnessed before.

The red eyes moved slightly. **You traveled with him. You shall do.** The voice took on even more authority. **Show me the human.**

Despite his fear, his thoughts managed to turn to Marty. Seconds later, he saw motion out of the corner of his eye. The shadowy form of Arbok, even his shape paling in comparison to the dark individual, carrying his trainer to it. He had trouble imagining what was going through the snake's head. If all of these shadows were ghosts...

In an elaborate motion, the creature used two large front legs to hold Marty at the shoulders, keeping him standing. At the same time, two more legs moved behind the human to support him from behind. If the darkness wasn't playing tricks on his eyes, he could swear the creature had even more legs than those...

A moment of silence passed. Then the eyes flashed.

Haunter was the next one to move forward slowly from behind him. As he reached Marty's side, he glanced back at Ivysaur briefly. His expression, considerably brighter than his body, was surprisingly solemn.

**He breathes. His heart beats.** Ivysaur could no longer see the eyes, as the creature's head had tilted downward and moved them out of view. **You will not permit this to change.**

Haunter nodded and rested his hands on the human. The creature once again raised its eyes. **His mind is wounded. It will not heal.** On his other side, he could now see Beedrill hovering closer to the rest of the group. He considered moving to join them, only to find himself being held in place. By what, he could not tell.

**Destroy it.**

His eyes widened in panic.

Beedrill glanced from large creature to Marty to Arbok to large creature to Marty. Slowly, he raised a single stinger and moved closer to the human. With a bit of imagination, Ivysaur would say that he was hanging his head...

The next part happened faster than expected. After a brief commotion, he tried to reorient himself. In the shadows, it looked as though Beedrill had been moved to the side, Arbok was directly in front of the large entity, and he had... bitten down on Marty's head...

He no longer felt like he was being held back. In a panic, he dashed forward, only to find that the situation was _exactly_ as he perceived it. "...you..."

Beedrill was equally surprised. "...why did you..."

Arbok removed his mouth from the human's head, revealing blood coming from one of his fangs. He turned to face Beedrill and sighed.

"Bee... you are trained. You enjoy being trained. You desire another trainer." He closed his mouth and gave a less grotesque smile. "I do not blame you. Everyone cares for you. You become stronger. You are fed well. It is a nice life. You deserve it."

"Marty..." Ivysaur mumbled.

"You are respected... and you respect others. You battle other Pokémon. For improvement. For glory. For fun. You do not fight to the death. You never have to. Not as long as you are trained." He nodded. "You may be poisonous. It does not matter. I know you better than you think. You are not a killer. You should never need to become one."

He turned slightly in the direction of Marty. "I can grant you that much. I _am_ a killer. And he was _not_ my first."

"Marty!" Ivysaur was once again frantic. "You... you all..."

...wait... there was still hope. Marty had a large wound in his head. His body was clearly limp, only standing because of the support from the creature's legs, which were considerably thicker looking at this short distance. Not to mention Haunter's grip on him. But... he was still breathing, right?

Haunter spoke again. "His pulse is unaffected. It's working."

**Excellent.** Without warning, the large creature bent its head and upper body downward until it was almost touching the ghost, staring directly into his eyes. **Move in.**

Haunter did not look like he had been expecting this order. It took him a few seconds to collect himself, but his response was a nod.

And then... he dissipated. His form, already dark and wispy, shifted and spread, becoming something halfway between a cloud of smoke and a floating shadow. It covered Marty, and seconds later, it appeared to become thinner. Soon there were no remnants of his body to be found. An effective disappearing act, Ivysaur had to admit.

**Report.**

Haunter's voice echoed from no visible source. "His heartbeat and breathing are steady."

**Nervous system?**

"Beyond repair. He can't see, hear or touch."

**Digestion?**

"No damage. I can't tell if it's working, though."

**Motion?**

Right before Ivysaur's unbelieving eyes, Marty stood by his own will.

He seemed a bit off-balance, but this didn't last. He turned his head in all directions, taking in the sights around him. He stretched one arm, then the other, and flexed them a few times.

And then he took a step. And another. The creature's legs released him, as their support was no longer needed.

Ivysaur's face lit up as he watched it happen. He had thought he would never see his trainer move again, and now...

"Nearly perfect", Haunter once again said from nowhere.

**Speech?**

Marty took a breath, and for the first time in several days, he spoke. "Oh, Zangoose, you shall fixate much on quickly jabbing Seviper to his death."

**Say "Seviper" again.**

"Seviper." For some reason, this visibly caught Arbok's attention.

**It will do.**

Ivysaur had no idea what to make of this. Whatever it was that everyone was doing... it had helped him. He was moving and talking again. And the plant couldn't even figure out _how..._

"Aside from his senses", Haunter summarized, "everything is in order." A brief pause. "Um... can I get out now?"

**No.**

Ivysaur blinked. Get out?

"Why not?"

The creature's eyes glowed brighter. **This is your task. Until further notice, you are confined. You will not leave under any circumstances, nor will you reveal your nature at any time without my direct orders.**

"My _task?_" Haunter's voice suddenly lost a large portion of its surprise. "Is this what I think it is?"

**You will be briefed shortly. From this point forward, you are a human Pokémon trainer by the name of Martin Atrice.**

Ivysaur froze in utter shock. Beedrill and Arbok appeared to be equally surprised. If it had said what he thought it had said... with all of the evidence... and the things Haunter had been saying...

"You are serious?" Haunter's voice asked.

And then it cut off, replaced entirely by that of Marty, as his lips began to move again. "I understand and obey", he said immediately, and then turned to face the other three. "Well, this ought to be interesting", he added with a smile, and a voice that... well... none of the Pokémon in the group could say that it _wasn't_ Marty's voice, but the tone and inflection were completely...

"You're _sick!_" Ivysaur screamed. _"You're all sick!"_ Without any warning, he turned and ran away from the rest of the group, visibly crying. Not even the grouping of shadows that floated in his way could hold him back, and soon he had faded into the distance.

"...um..." Haunter said, not even bothering to use Marty's voice.

**Find him. Bring him back. We need**

"Wait." Marty's body turned to face the larger ghost. "I think I understand now. _I'll _bring him back, okay?" The human's mouth smiled. "It's the only way this'll work."

Giratina nodded once, and the human left in pursuit.

Beedrill continued to hover silently, completely confused by the chain of events. Arbok, however, spoke. "He raises a question. _What are you trying to do?_"

The ghost didn't bother to move to address him. **We desire to help him.**

"This is _not_ what he needs!" the snake argued forcefully. "His trainer is gone! You should not pretend otherwise! He must learn to accept the truth! He needs to move on!"

Now the glowing red eyes were upon him. **He cannot.**

"Then he will learn how! With honesty! Not with your lies!"

Giratina's voice did not weaken in force, but it had become slightly more thoughtful. **You deserve an explanation. I will provide it.** The eyes moved from Arbok to Beedrill and back. **You will agree with us.**

* * *

Ivysaur had no idea in which direction he was running. All he knew was that he had avoided the paths, and that he had found himself overlooking some kind of body of water.

He didn't know what to do. Leave town? Return to the group? Dive into the water and swim for it? Or sink? He couldn't decide. When Marty was with him, he knew what to do. And now... he simply couldn't think of anything.

He was completely alone. He could not get help from humans, all of his teammates had abandoned him and his beliefs, and Marty was no longer there to support him. No. Worse. Marty was there, but only as some kind of puppet, being manipulated by the very ghosts that had...

"There you are."

He went stiff. He was really beginning to hate that voice. When Marty spoke to him, it was a soothing tone that showed true respect and love for him. To hear an almost identical voice, containing none of the same feeling...

"Leave me alone!" he yelled. "Don't mock me!"

The footsteps grew louder, and they were clearly those of a clothed human. He spoke again, this time with Haunter's voice. "I was never here to mock you."

"But you _always..._"

"Okay, so I do that a lot. I was kinda raised that way." His voice became more serious. "That wasn't why I followed you. Not exactly."

Ivysaur slowly turned to face him. Instead, he saw Marty, and he was quick to return his attention to the ocean.

"I didn't ask for this", the ghost continued. "I hoped he'd live longer. I wanted to go with you and help you make it to the Pokémon League. Really. You can believe that." He sighed. "And then things happened."

"Why are you still in his body?" the grass Pokémon asked bluntly.

"You haven't been around Giratina much. Believe me, when it tells us to do something... _we do it_."

"You don't have to be so _happy_ about it."

"Why shouldn't I? As long as I'm like this, I might as well get some fun out of it. I've already thought of a few..."

He trailed off. Ivysaur was starting to move away.

"It's not that far off from being trained", he tried. "Sometimes you're told to do something you don't wanna do. If you trust them, you do it. And sometimes it turns out to be the right thing." His voice brightened. "And if they really care about you, they give you a bit more wiggle room. You do the things they want, the way you want to. Everyone's happy."

The other Pokémon turned around again. "And what do you want?"

"Right now, I want this to be fun. For all of us." The human's head nodded. "While sticking to the goal. They all want you to go to the Pokémon League. And... they want me to be your trainer."

"Do you even know how to train?" Ivysaur asked skeptically.

"Maybe not." The human's body knelt down next to him. "The important thing is... from now on, _I'm Marty._"

"You're _not._ And you _never will be._"

"And Marty will?"

Once again, there was a brief period of silence, broken only by the sound of the waves below.

The ghost started again. "You should at least think about this. I mean, I don't exactly see any alternatives for you."

Ivysaur merely continued to glare at him.

"It's late", he offered. "You must be tired. Maybe you can give us an answer in the morning?"

"What's to answer? You're completely desecrating Marty's life for your own purposes, and you want to order me around against my will?"

Marty's body moved to a sitting position. "You really cared for him, didn't you?"

"...he wasn't a very good trainer. But... he was getting better, and he cared about me. About all of us. You wouldn't understand."

"I guess I wouldn't." Haunter's voice was almost calming. "Let's try this. I want you to relax, rest here, and think about how much he meant to you. Why you cared so much about him."

"Here? Now?"

"It's late", the ghost repeated. "Don't worry. You'll be safe with me."

And there were his arms, outstretched in Ivysaur's direction. It bothered him, to be honest. That disconnect between what he wanted and what he absolutely did not want, both staring at him from the same source...

"If nothing else", Haunter offered, "it's one more chance to let him hold you."

This time, sentiment won out.

* * *

He dreamed that night. Of Marty. Vividly.

There he was, meeting him for the first time, back when he was a Bulbasaur. He asked if they could be friends. He didn't need to, but he did. If there was a way to start off on the right foot, that was it.

There he was, comforting him in the Pokémon Center. They had lost to Brandon and his Charmander. Yet he refused to let it bring him down. They would get better. They would make it, or go as far as they could. Words to live by. The words he had always lived by.

There he was, in the forest, rushing in to protect him from the approaching Beedrills. Even though he couldn't fight them off himself. Even though a smarter trainer would have stayed away. But for Bulbasaur, he would gladly risk his life, and everything else.

And it had worked. To avoid striking the trainer, the Beedrills stopped their assault and backed away. A simple recall later, he was headed back to Viridian to once again get medical attention for his beloved Bulbasaur. He was the highest priority, after all.

Wait. What? That wasn't what

_But what if it had happened that way? Then what?_

There he was, capturing his first new Pokémon. A Weedle. He knew it needed to become stronger, so he gave it a quick potion to help it recover, and figured out how to

**the onset of a slight headache, easily ignored**

There he was, at his first gym battle. The trainer specialized in rock Pokémon, and it showed. But he knew that it was weak against grass-type moves, and ordered Bulbasaur to the fore. Victory was easily his, and it was time for Kakuna to break his shell and become

**another pound**

There he was, staring at a Beedrill. It was his. He knew it, and he did not fear it, despite Bulbasaur's suspicions. And with a comforting hug, the insect remained a true member of the team.

There he was, standing in a watery gym, facing down

Wasn't there a cave in between? One where problem after problem occurred, slowly destroying all of his remaining

_Does it matter? It wasn't his fault. You can let it slide._

But Zubat

**dull throbbing pain**

There he was, on the outskirts of Lavender, when a giant hungry

No! What happened to the gym?

_Nothing would have happened there._

He collapsed! He had to be taken...

_If he hadn't been stung, he wouldn't have_

**intensifying**

No, it was the antidote

_Whatever._

There he was, standing before the large snake. It didn't matter who had won their match. What mattered was the skill and safety of the other Pokémon. Ekans was willing to help, in return for food and shelter. And he agreed willingly, for he trusted the newcomer, and would not be disappointed.

There he was, preparing to leave a week later, when a mysterious ghost

**sudden sharp pain**

Ow ow ow ow ow make it stop make it stop!

_Keep going. Don't get distracted._

But it hurts. And this isn't

_What happened with the ghost?_

There he was, agreeing to let the

**more sharp pains, faster this time**

I can't take this!

_You're almost done. Hang in there._

Done with what? Lying to myself about

**stronger pain, impossible to ignore**

_It's not a lie._

There he was, showing no fear, gladly accepting him

_It's a dream._

**getting hard to think**

There he was, the noble trainer, and his beloved group

Who are you?

**blood is trickling**

_Who do you want me to be?_

* * *

Ivysaur's eyes opened slowly.

"Drink this. Fast."

He could only stare at the glass bottle that his trainer was slowly moving in his direction. The purple liquid rested gently, held by a steady arm. The concoction was pungent to his nostrils, and he had to resist the temptation to turn his head.

After all, he needed it.

Ivysaur opened his mouth, allowing the neck of the bottle to rest inside it. The trainer lifted the bottom, and Ivysaur forced himself to drink the contents.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" the trainer asked. "I know it hurts after a while, but all it takes is a potion and you're good as new, right?"

Ivysaur blinked a few times. "...Marty..." he started in a weak and weary voice. "You're alive... you're giving me... am I still dreaming?"

"No, you're awake now", the human answered. "See, we're still outside Lavender. Did you sleep well?"

He wished he could say yes. In truth, it _had_ been painful, at least before the potion was administered. But aside from that... it was a pretty pleasant dream, all things...

...he stared in shock at his trainer. "You understood my question?"

"Of course", Marty answered. "It's like they always taught me. Trainers are supposed to understand their Pokémon, right?"

Arbok had said that before. He didn't expect it to be so literal...

...wait a minute...

Ivysaur's expression became angry instantly. "You think you're funny, don't you? Trying to make me think you're Marty?" A brief wince as he considered his earlier thoughts. "Well, congratulations. You almost succeeded."

Marty smiled broadly. "That's good to hear. I couldn't have done it without you."

"...what?"

"Yeah, I had to fool you. But wouldn't you say it paid off?" He raised a single hand, and Ivysaur thought he could see traces of shadows upon it. "I've got a move called Dream Eater. I find a sleeping target, I use it, I feed on their dreams, I get stronger and they get weaker."

The grass Pokémon stepped backward with a start. "_You _were the one hurting me?"

"Yeah, but I'm also the one who gave you a potion to ease the pain." His grin grew. "I think it's worth it. I got to share that dream with you." His eye seemingly twinkled. "Marty was an amazing person, wasn't he?"

Ivysaur felt an impulse to agree, but allowed it to pass. "Don't believe it", he said in a depressed voice. "He was never that good. Things didn't turn out that well."

"I _know_ they didn't." Marty took a few steps forward and knelt down next to the Pokémon. "I don't really care what he was like. Really, I wanted to see what _you_ thought of him." He rested a hand on Ivysaur's bulb. "Do you understand? That wasn't what he was. That's what you wish he could've been.

"And now that I've seen it... maybe I can do it right for once."

Before the Pokémon could come up with an argument, he found himself being picked up by the human. By... Marty. Who was holding him comfortably, and speaking to him in a kind voice. "I'm Martin Atrice from Pallet. Everyone calls me Marty. I just turned ten a few months ago, which is kinda neat, because I've been looking forward to being a Pokémon trainer for almost my whole life. I know the last week or two has been kinda hard, but I'm not gonna give up." A few strokes against Ivysaur's back. "You shouldn't, either. We're gonna make it together. We promised, right? Besides... there's no way I'm gonna let anything bad happen to you, okay?"

Ivysaur could only nod silently. Marty grinned from the side of his mouth. "And... if you ever think I'm not convincing, let me know, okay? It's not like they're gonna let me quit..."

And while Ivysaur returned the affection, he thought. _This isn't right. This is all a lie. This isn't Marty. This is just a bunch of ghosts toying with me..._

_...so why does it feel so right?_

"Let's go back", the human said. "They're wondering where we are by now."

* * *

They weren't. Something else had come up to grab their attention.

"I didn't expect to come back, either", the bat admitted. "But all of a sudden, these ghosts told me there was a change of plans..."

She trailed off as she turned to face Ivysaur and Marty. Beedrill and Arbok did so as well.

Ivysaur noticed the newcomer immediately. It was hard to recognize her at first, because she didn't look the same as she had before. In fact, she looked more like the one she had fought days ago. The one with the large mouth and eyes. The one belonging to Brandon. Her son, which she had called a Golbat...

And, as he stared at her, her eyes were staring back at him.

"Your bulb looks nicer than I would have guessed", she said slowly. "Is it true it's going to fully blossom one day?"

"...you came..." he started, before shaking his head. "How could you even think of leaving us?"

She glanced to the side. "I'm not going to apologize. It's too late for that." She took a breath. "I couldn't bring myself to stay any longer. Not without a trainer. So I remembered what the ghosts said."

Ivysaur's eyes instinctively moved to the sides. There weren't any shadows around. Especially not the big one everyone had called Giratina. He began to wonder what he had missed...

The Golbat continued. "They said that in the worst case scenario, I should go find them. They would do their best to train me instead. So I went, and... well, I expected to be there for more than a single day, but you can see how it paid off for me. And then... all of a sudden, they brought me back here."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"I do", Marty explained. "I think they stepped in to make sure you evolved properly."

She blinked, for possibly the first time. "I probably could have done it without them."

"Actually, you've got a third form coming. A better one. One you'll probably want." Marty smiled. "Thing is, it only happens if you're happy. You know, _really_ happy. So I guess they figured, if you were there when he..." He smirked. "..._I_ died, you'd be damaged for life or something. And then you couldn't be the best bat you could be."

Beedrill grumbled. "You could have told us when you left."

She hesitated. "What? Tell all of you about the ghosts? If Arbok had found out..."

"They know how I reacted", said snake interrupted. "It is in the past. We have no reason to discuss it now."

Ivysaur shrugged. "So what's going on now? I just got done arguing with him, so... uh... where are the ghosts?"

"Back in town", Arbok answered. "The meeting is over. Everything has been decided. We leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Where?"

"Don't tell me you've forgotten", Marty answered with a smile. "We're all going to the Pokémon League, remember?"

Ivysaur took a moment to try and understand the situation again. It was starting to confuse him. Marty had died. Haunter had been commanded to... possess him or something... and act as his replacement. For the same purpose as before, heading to the Pokémon League. And everyone was ready to join him. Beedrill and Arbok, and even Zubat had returned...

...he had gotten into a fight with Beedrill...

...Zubat had left on her own, hoping to get away from the situation...

...Arbok had been planning on leaving them eventually, to pursue his own goals...

"None of you really want to do this, do you?" He stamped the ground angrily. "You're only staying with me because the ghosts made you, right?"

And, without any need for him to look up, the ten seconds of uncomfortable silence answered his question.

"It doesn't really matter", Beedrill eventually answered. "I mean, I'd stay with you anyway!" He looked in the direction of the town. "The more I think about it, the more I think... I don't really care if we go to the Pokémon League. Sure, it sounds nice, but that's not why I'm here. I'm here because of all of you."

He hovered closer and wrapped an arm around Ivysaur. "Marty was nice to me, and I liked listening to him. Arbok trained me, and I'm a lot stronger because of him, and I respect him. I want him to keep teaching me as long as he can. And you... it doesn't matter how much we yell at each other. We yell because we care about each other. Because... ever since we met, you've been my best friend." His eyes softened. "And I want to keep it that way."

"I did not expect any of this", Arbok admitted. "Yet I can accept it." He took a breath. "There is a flaw I have. I set goals and decide on methods. And then I focus on the methods. And lose sight of the goals." He looked down. "It kept me from joining you. It no longer matters. All of this can work for me. It is odd, but it can."

His head rose again. "I always wanted to become stronger. I wanted to be respected. How can I say I have failed? I am strong, and you respect me." He smiled. "I can get my meals. I will be trained. I will see you all improve. And..."

He turned to look at Marty. There was a short grimace on his face, but it soon passed. "...my trainer _is_ stronger than me." Marty grinned in response.

"Let me say this", Golbat said. "I left my family and came with you to make sure they stayed safe. I knew what I was getting into when I started. I'm supposed to be a trained Pokémon now, and I can live with that." She shook her head. "But I gave up a lot to come here. All I've ever wanted was to be able to believe that this new life, being trained and all, was worth the cost. And you know what? When I actually have a trainer, it is.

"If I ever lost faith, it's because... well... we really couldn't count on Marty as a trainer. We wouldn't have accomplished anything. Not when he was like that. But if this is how it turns out, and this is the trainer we have... I can't complain." She nodded. "I'm coming. As long as he can promise me that he can train us _right_."

Ivysaur nodded slowly. It was funny. In a best case scenario, they would all be coming along with him, and they'd be happy about it. And... they were. Which meant...

"...heh..." Marty scratched his head. "That's something we need to talk about. I mean, I know a lot about battling and types and all, but... really, I don't know anything about training."

"I can help." Arbok was smiling now. "I know the basics. I have worked with them. And in time, they must catch up. I can teach you what I know." His eye twinkled. "Dare you admit that you need me?"

"Well, I guess I could think about asking you, huh?"

"Wait, I just thought of something!" Beedrill broke in. "We trained for five days, right?" At Arbok's nod, he continued. "And it took us a day to get here, and today we went back and forth... so it's been a week now, right?" He nodded his head. "Shouldn't they have that Pokédex in by now?"

Ivysaur's eyes lit up. "You're right! He did request one back in... that watery town?"

"Cerulean", Marty said.

"We could get in a rematch at the same time", Golbat suggested. "It's a bit of a walk, but..."

Marty shook his head. "Come now. Don't you think the others planned things better than this?" He winked at her. "If your wings are feeling up to it, you can _fly_ us there."

She looked at the others cautiously. "All of you? I mean, I doubt I can lift a snake..."

"Pokéballs", he reminded her. "Once I've recalled them, it should be a breeze for you to carry me."

Arbok lowered his head. "So I must be captured again."

"Well, yeah. We want this to look right, anyway. Which means... yeah, you'll probably be staying in them a lot more." He shrugged. "Don't get me wrong. I'll be sure to let you out when the time's right."

After a few seconds, there was a chorus of agreeing nods.

"Of course, that might not get us across the ocean..." he considered. "One of the gyms is there, and boats aren't running right now."

Golbat shook her head. "If I don't know the way, I can't fly that far."

"Can any of you swim? With a passenger?"

The others looked at each other. It appeared they couldn't.

"There are only four of us", Arbok noted. "Not counting our 'human'. We could always capture more."

"Not more than six", Marty decided. "I kinda want to keep us a tightly knit group."

"Um..." Beedrill considered, "are we sticking to the theme?"

"Theme?"

"You thought we were trying to gather poison types. Are we still doing that?"

The faux human pondered this. "We could..."

"It would be symbolic", Ivysaur pointed out. "We lost our trainer to poison. If other poison types come together for his cause, we could think of it as an apology. Or... redemption."

Beedrill nodded. "What poison types can swim?"

"Tentacool", Marty suggested almost immediately. "But... by the time we meet one, we'll already be out in the ocean."

Arbok looked up suddenly. "Nidorans. Fully evolved ones can swim. I have seen it happen."

"It could work. How long does it take?"

"I do not know. We should find one immediately. Focus on other tasks during the training."

"We've only got four months", Ivysaur reminded him.

Golbat shook her head. "No, actually, we don't." She gestured at Marty. "He's not going anywhere, is he? We've got all the time we want now." Her large mouth tried its best to grin. "We could take years if we wanted."

"We may have only one chance", Arbok agreed. "Become the best we can. Only then should we enter."

"Only one chance?" Ivysaur asked.

Marty grinned. "Think about it. We're entering the Pokémon League _without an actual human. _Once they find out, do you really think they're gonna let us back in?"

The grass Pokémon gave him a suspicious look. "Why would they find out?"

"Anyway", the human quickly tried to change the subject, "becoming as strong as we can. The Nidorans. Where are they?"

"They frequently roam outside our mountain", Golbat answered.

"Sounds like a plan." He thought. "Are we going for a Nidoqueen or Nidoking?"

"What's the difference?"

"...uh... their color. And one's a boy and one's a girl."

"Nidoqueen", Golbat answered immediately.

"Nidoking", Arbok answered equally fast.

"We could just go with the first one that's interested", Marty considered. "Should we head there now?"

"Can we do it tomorrow?" Beedrill asked. "It's really late and we haven't slept."

"Oh, right. Non-ghosts need to sleep, don't they?" Marty smirked. "Let's get to the Pokémon Center, then. I'm sure they missed us."

And as a group, they headed off into the distance, in the direction of the nearby town.

"While we're there, maybe we should think about naming you guys."

"Naming?"

"Well, if we ever meet another Golbat, we don't wanna get confused. I'm surprised he never got around to naming any of you."

"I don't think he ever thought about it."

"Of course, we already have Snakey."

"Do not start that again."

"Oh, fine. I could change it. Or... I could keep saying it until you decide it really isn't such a bad name after all."

"..."

And in the group, a quiet Ivysaur. One who had found himself going along with this plan, while still trying to figure out why he would.

Marty's honor? Friendship? Becoming the best he could be? He wished he could say it was any of those things. But he kept coming back to the same theory.

He was with Marty. Or, at least, the closest thing available. And he knew that it was the only thing that had ever mattered to him. Everything else was just a bonus. So he would enjoy this as much as possible.

It was still his purpose, after all.

* * *

From the darkness, a large shadow watched as they entered the building.

**All is as planned**, it thought silently. **This is only a temporary solution. It will succeed, or it will fail. We will be watching.**

Its eyes squinted slightly. **You worry that this may not be right.** A short pause. **It is not. This should not have happened.**

**None of this.**

**Be strong. Fight. Go to your tournament. Time will tell if this will work.**

It turned to head back into the darkness, and perhaps a place beyond it.

**If it does, then perhaps we can truly bring an end to this senseless crime.**

**At the source.**

_**Now the damage has been done  
**__**And this machine has begun...**_


	8. Denouement

**Fifty-two months later...**

A sincere-looking man in a business suit, looking to be in his early fifties, sat uncomfortably at the meeting table.

In all of his years presiding over the Silver Conference Victory Tournament, he had never expected anything along these lines to happen. The Pokémon League higher-ups would certainly hear about this. But for now, he was the one in charge.

Behind him, various members of his staff stood quietly. One was prepared to notarize. Members of the conference security team were also present, as were various Pokémon who were assigned to stop any outbreaks of conflict immediately.

At the other side of the table sat a young boy, apparently aged 12. In another chair at his side, a well-trained Blaziken, and the one who had helped him become this year's champion. The boy had insisted that his Pokémon accompany him if he was to take part in this meeting. It was arranged.

He looked normal enough. Perhaps his grin was a bit too wide for the circumstances. Of course, winning an annual tournament was certainly sufficient cause for such joy. And there were no particularly outstanding characteristics, save for some well-placed stitches across his forehead and neck.

The president said the first words. "Where did you get those scars?"

The boy shrugged. "A bit of an accident when I was starting out. Me and Torchic - you know, Blaziken here - we were looking for a nice Taillow to bring up. Wound up finding a Swellow instead. We couldn't beat it, so we had to run. Well, we were a bit up on the hills, right near Meteor Falls, you know... kinda took a misstep and fell. It's not too bad. Just a few head and neck injuries. Got them patched up..."

The president finished for him. "And you died."

The boy went silent for a few seconds. Afterward, his face broke out into a larger grin. "You did your research. Well then, why did you want to see me?"

"What is it that you want?"

The child smiled. "Just the simple things. Fame, glory, a bit of prize money, happiness for my friend here..."

The older man shook his head angrily. "Over the past few years, we've had several entrants like you. Trainers? No. We'd call you _zombies_. And now one of you has _won a championship._ What are we supposed to do about this?"

"You could give it to me..."

"_Why are all of you here?_"

The boy's face became serious. "Let me ask you a question", he started. "When a child comes of age and starts his journey, he is provided with a loyal Pokémon. One like my friend here." He raised an eyebrow. "What is your policy when one of them happens to die?"

The man nodded. "It is our hope that the trainer will be able to carry on using the other Pokémon that have been caught. If there has been no chance to catch one, another starter can be provided at no cost by visiting any..."

"You don't understand", the boy interrupted. "What happens if _the trainer_ dies?"

This quieted the older man slightly. "We make it clear to all potential entrants. Pokémon training and traveling can be dangerous. While we are willing to aid those who have been injured, we should not be directly held liable for any injuries, including death, incurred on such a journey. Unless, of course, direct culpability can be determined."

"I understand that. But what does that mean _for the Pokémon_?"

"I imagine they would return to the wild. Despite what some skeptics say, we've found that wild Pokémon _can_ readapt fairly easily, assuming well-adjusted behavioral patterns."

The boy pounded the table. "We're not talking about wild Pokémon! We're talking about _starters!_"

He took a breath and tried to explain. "Your starters are specifically bred and taught by scientists to be instinctively loyal to a trainer that receives them. In fact, they imprint. Their loyalty is unswerving. I imagine you humans like that. Your trainers don't suddenly find themselves alone in the wild whenever one decides to leave.

"But... here's the problem. Sometimes the _trainer_ dies. It's unfortunate, probably unavoidable, and it's not particularly common, but it happens more often than you think." He leaned over the table. "What happens to the starter?"

The president thought about this. "It would probably have to become wild."

_"How?_ They've _imprinted! _Their sole duty is to their trainer! Their trainer is dead! _Where does that leave them?_" The boy glared at the older man. "We've watched them for years now! Do you know what happens? They stay by their trainer's side until they die as well!" He leaned back. "Needlessly!"

The man sighed. "That's some loyalty."

"_Loyalty? _You've _poisoned their minds!_" A short pause. "_And there is __**no antidote!**_"

Both took a few seconds to calm down. The room was silent for the duration.

"We didn't do that on purpose", the president pointed out.

"I know you didn't." The boy nodded. "But the time has come for your league to fix it."

"...is that what this is all about?"

"Let me tell you a story", the boy said. "Over in the Kanto area, a boy and his Bulbasaur wound up in this situation a few years back. But it was different that time. The boy died slowly, getting worse over time. And that's when we noticed. As long as he believed that his trainer was still capable of going, so was the Bulbasaur." He grinned. "If the death had been slow enough, I bet he would have dragged his trainer all the way to the Pokémon League by himself. All in his name."

The president had heard about this, of course. The boy's team had only tied for 8th in the tournament, which wasn't bad for a team based upon a single type, but none of that could have prepared anyone for the awards ceremony. In the middle, the boy had collapsed. When medics checked him out, they found evidence that he had been brain dead for _years_. And then, all of a sudden, the boy had simply sat up again...

"I remember." The man seemed almost wistful. "That's why we can't relent. That kind of beautiful friendship... is what our league is supposed to be all about."

To his surprise, the boy had a similar look in his eye. "It would have been very beautiful... if only there was reason to believe that the Bulbasaur _had a choice_." He shook his head. "When a child spends the day with his sick mother, it's touching. But not when he's there because _he's locked in_.

"...anyway, that's when we decided to try this. After all, we learned that the key to making sure the Pokémon survives is to make sure he still has his trainer. So that's what we're doing."

"You're _bringing them back from the dead!_"

"Almost. Not quite. It's simple possession. No one was using their bodies, anyway."

The man clenched his fist. "This _can't continue!_"

"We're thinking of adding another stage to the plan. Getting the psychics involved." The boy smirked. "You know how sometimes a cruel trainer abandons his starter? The starter has no one else to turn to, so..." The smirk grew. "Now... let's say, all of a sudden, the trainer turns around, and picks up the starter again, and welcomes him back, and continues to train him? Of course, they'd have to completely control his thoughts and actions to make that..."

"Stop! _Stop!_" The man was visibly frightened by the possibility. "You can't do that!"

"They can. They always could. The question is if they _should_." He smiled in a less insulting manner. "Face it, we're saving lives here. What are _you_ doing about it?"

The president laid his head on his hands and sighed. Somehow, and he wasn't sure how, he had become the villain in this argument. And when it meant looking worse than those resorting to ghostly possession...

...even worse, he didn't really know much about any of their science anyway.

"Sir", one of his staff said from behind him. "I took the liberty of calling one of our laboratories. They might be able to explain the process in more detail."

"Thank you", he said, breathing sharply. "Let me take this call."

He stood and walked away from the desk, talking on the provided wireless phone. The boy remained patient the entire time, moving only to stroke his Blaziken's arm a few times.

Eventually the man in charge returned. "It's not a simple choice", he tried to explain. "We can't just stop the process. Not without an alternative. Believe it or not, it's important to us that trainers receive Pokémon that will listen to them."

"Hm", the boy simply responded.

"We can't reverse their training, either. Still, there's an option." He smiled slightly. "Your explanation wasn't exactly right. Starters don't imprint on individuals. They imprint on trainers. In short, if we were to recover one, and he was to receive another trainer, he would come to approve of the new one just as much as the one before."

"It's a start", the child said. "How would you go about recovering them?"

"I imagine you and your friends could be doing it if not for your antics", he grumbled, then tried a more diplomatic voice. "What we should really do is construct shelters."

As the other watched him with interest, he elaborated. "This would work for non-starters, too. A place where Pokémon without trainers would go to await adoption by other people. They wouldn't even need to be battlers." He thought about this more carefully. "We wouldn't want them to be given out too easily to trainers. They need to learn how to catch them. So it could be limited to those who merely want to raise or breed them."

"How would the starters get there?"

"We could ensure that they know where such shelters are at all times. Or... an emergency device in the Pokédex that can be used to find them in case of trainer injury."

"We'd have to see it before we believe it", the boy said. "But... it could work." He grinned. "Go ahead and try it. Maybe we'll put that psychic idea off to the side for the moment."

Whew, the president thought. That was a close one.

"Now that we've gone over all of this, may I go? We've got more training to do."

The man doubletook. "What? We were discussing you _stopping_ such nonsense!"

"Stopping? Why would we do that?" The child was smirking again. "The problem isn't solved yet."

"We discussed the shelters..."

"And where are these shelters right now? A Pokémon Center can't hold that many. There is no rescue operation in effect. It sounds to me like they still need us."

The man took a deep breath. "What will it take for you to stop this?"

"Listen. Everything you've proposed... you should do that. Even if it's not perfect, anything would be an improvement." He looked a bit more serious. "But as long as there's a single suffering starter out there, we're not going to give up on our efforts."

"We _can't_ have you winning these tournaments!"

"You can't?" The smirk was back. "Well, that's easy enough to solve. You just make sure your entrants are skilled enough to beat us."

"You have an unfair advantage! You can actually _understand Pokémon!_"

"Heh. And all this time you people were saying that trainers should learn to understand them. Maybe you should work on that some more." The boy stood. "I think that's all for now. Good luck with your project. We'll be watching."

He and his Blaziken headed for the door. Just before he exited, the boy turned once more. "Seriously, why would we want to stop? This is the most fun we've had in decades."

The president once against rested his head on his hands once they had left the room. "This is a nightmare", he said.

"...so, should we start construction?" one of his aides asked.

"Make a note", he sighed. "Our security team's going to need a large regiment of dark Pokémon."

No one in the room dared to disagree.

* * *

Sure enough, the details of that meeting were forwarded to the upper levels of the Pokémon League staff. Including the shelter suggestion. They would have been fools to not consider it seriously, given the words of the ghosts' representative. It would take a while to complete. They didn't mind.

At the same time, they decided, the situation should be kept under wraps. The general public didn't need to hear about how the dead were coming back to life to train Pokémon.

Unfortunately, the ghosts would have none of that.

In less than three weeks, _everyone knew._

* * *

And then, eight months later, it was time for the newest promising young Pokémon trainers to begin their journey.

Olivia, a ten-year-old girl from Pallet, left the professor's lab carrying her newest acquisition. Once outside, she called her Squirtle out for everyone to see. The other townsfolk approved.

As she received teary farewells from the other members of her family, she noticed a single woman out of the corner of her eye. Mrs. Atrice, quietly working in the garden, not saying a word to any of them.

She had heard the stories, and she couldn't believe them. She had let her son go on this journey, only to hear less than two days later that he'd been injured, and was dying. And when she had gone to find him, the nurses had completely lost track of him.

...and then just over two years later, he turned up again. Out of the blue, he was appearing on national television. She hadn't even received a single call from him. And that paled before the events that had happened after the tournament's completion...

Olivia stared at her Squirtle suspiciously as they left. She couldn't help but ask.

"Um... are you one of those new ones? The ones that take over my body if I die?"

The Squirtle looked up at her questioningly. And then... it nodded.

She couldn't help but shudder. A lot of trainers probably felt the same way when they found out, but it didn't make the moment any easier for her. "So... I hear they've been getting good. I guess whoever's responsible must know a whole lot about training Pokémon, right?"

Another nod. The two walked north in silence. No opponents had shown their face yet, nor had she ventured far into the tall grass.

"...maybe I could get some pointers?"

It would frequently be said that this new climate of training, with its hint of paranoia mixed with the odd feeling of relief that the Pokémon would continue to be cared for in any situation, was different from the old days.

It easily paled in comparison to the experiences Olivia would soon be undergoing. As she spent her night in the Viridian Pokémon Center, she had terrible dreams. Giant stony creatures rising from the ground, seizing her with their rocky claws, carrying her far from civilization to feed their own kind...

...until the giant heroic Squirtle, friend to all children, arrived to save her with its mighty bubbles of death. One of which caught her, and brought her back into his clutches, proving that such an attack could be useful as well as dangerous, and would be really good to use against rock-type Pokémon, hint hint...

Pokémon training had certainly become stranger in only a few years. But in the end, almost everyone had to agree. Any changes that the Pokémon League, and these mysterious ghosts, were making... despite all fears to the contrary, they had only been an improvement.

Especially for the Pokémon.

_**Everybody's got a parasite  
**__**I've got you**_


End file.
